


David's Revenge

by Spinnerchild



Series: Relationship of Fate [3]
Category: Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Control, David's Pissed, Death, F/M, Half-Vampires, More Drugs, Multi, Paul's Stoned, Plot Twists, Possessive Behavior, Sex, Telepathy, This Goes On Forever, Vampires, everything has changed, shit gets real, the boys are back
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-01-22 22:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 92
Words: 170,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12492692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spinnerchild/pseuds/Spinnerchild
Summary: David's back to get revenge on the one who hurt him the most.





	1. He Found Her - David's POV

**Author's Note:**

> TLB is owned by Warner Bros not me...

2.48am. Watching her through the gym window, he smoked his cigarette and searched for some recognition of the old Star. Something in her movements, in her attitude and he tried to see through her new image, from the top of her head anyways, as she ran on the treadmill. This thing in front of him was fit with strong arms and shoulders, lean thighs with little shorts sticking to them from the sweat running down them and a nice tight ass. Gone were the dark curls, replaced by long straight dark blonde locks tied back in a tight ponytail, which would swing and pat her back with every stride she took. He had to admit, she looked hot. Like really hot, hot enough to have him questioning his motives now he’d seen her again. If that was even her. The way he was feeling though he was waiting for this one at the end of her workout regardless of who she was.

Funny, he thought, to find himself staring at a familiar face after so long. It was obvious Paul and Dwayne were dead as one became a skeleton and the other blew up and Marko was staked with wood. But David was pierced with antlers, keratin which was not fatal, painful and uncomfortable but not fatal. Michael and his family believed he had just been buried in the aftermath of Max’s demise but once he had recovered and gained perspective on the events of that Summer, he had decided to track down Michael and Star. Expecting to find all three together, David had been surprised to find Michael in bed with another girl, whom he had to kill just cause she was there, and he felt a sense of satisfaction to find Michael without Star. It meant their ‘love’ had never been strong enough. But it also made him wildly angry to think his boys had been sacrificed for nothing. He was resolved in his desire for revenge from her and had then tracked her for the next two years, initially fuelled with the same hatred, rage and fantasies of revenge but by the time he finally found her again in Santa Monica he was more interested in a reason why. Then he’d focus on revenge and rage. He was still a vampire after all.

Dragging in more smoke, he was beginning to disbelieve that this creature on the machine was the weak willed, submissive girl he had known so well. The girl he had owned. The girl he had dared to love and dared to share what he was, his truth. Dared to dream of a life with her forever and wanted her to be like him. Until he came... Even though Michael was gone, his legacy still lingered. And he was gone as in dead, David couldn’t just kill Star like that but Michael?? As soon as Star had drifted on, David had extracted a prolonged torturous death for the man who had taken his love, his boys and his life.

He looked away, sucking in more smoke, and he felt the fury blaze within him once again. Aside from the three year hiatus, he hadn’t killed her out right because he didn’t want just her blood on his hands, or in his mouth, that wasn’t enough for him. He watched her and all the fantasies of what he wished to do to her flooded his brain and he smiled. He was here to collect and she was going to pay for her betrayal. She had destroyed his family via her infidelity and had somehow managed to penetrate his titanium heart in the process and now, she was going to pay. However, this girl in front of him looked determined and focused. Ready for anything. She would never be anyone’s bait again. Anyone’s toy. Anyone’s property. Sweat glistened as it dripped down between her breasts. He was yet to get a glance of her face as she had had her eyes down to the floor since he had found what he thought might be her. She still had low self-esteem though, he smiled to himself. But why the change? To hide from him? No, she wouldn’t know he was still alive, well... walking.

It was then she looked up and out the window, almost directly at him, and he froze. It was her. He looked into her eyes and it was her. The feeling he felt was foreign to him. Not what he was expecting and it threw him slightly. It was a mixture of exhilaration and accomplishment in finding her along with definite anger yet an underlying sadness at her for what she has done. What she is forcing him to do. She adjusted her necklace and it was then he noticed it. The broken yellow gold heart with white gold filigree detailing he had given her, what seemed like a million years ago. She was still wearing it and he watched her gently finger the pendant and melt away into her own thoughts. His eyes caressed her altered frame following it out of the room and into another and he found himself contemplating other ways of fulfilling his needs from her. He briefly wondered if she was thinking of him and he felt a stir deep within, one that he had not felt in a long, long time, but then he reminded himself he didn’t care. He was here for a reason.

He flicked his butt in the garden and walked around near the front of the building. It was 3.00am and it was obvious she still kept to the nocturnal hours he’d grown her accustomed to. This was it. The night he’d been waiting for, planning for and thinking about for years. She came out with her jacket over her arm and her drink bottle in her hand and she glanced up at the moon, and stood mesmerised for a second, then quickly walked down the path to the dimly lit carpark. He silently made his way towards her, smelling the sweet sweat on her body as she bounced down the path. He got a flash of the same feeling, the deep stirring and again tried to push it away as it was a feeling creating a dynamic he wasn’t prepared for. He wasn’t expecting to feel anything other than revoltion towards her and yet he was feeling an old yearning for her. She got closer to the carpark and abruptly stopped and turned her head and he again froze. Had she heard him? Impossible, he wasn’t that careless. She flicked her head back around and quickly headed towards her car and he was two steps behind her only instead of wanting to rip her head off, he found himself wanting to touch her. To possess her control her again... He stopped. What was he doing?? He’d thought about this moment over and over again, every night thinking about the different things he would do to her. How it would feel and how she would look, but instead of finding a weak Star, clinging to Michael, he had found a fit Star who looked more like a challenge than a victim and he found himself wanting her. He could feel his primal vampire instincts kicking in and he could sense the ultimate hunt developing and he began to smile. He wanted to learn as much information as he could glean about this new Star before she knew he was back. Knowledge has always been power and David was going to regain more power than he’d ever had before over Star. As defiant and strong as she looked like she had become, and he suspected she would probably put up a bit of a fight, but he was confident that once he was physically in front of her, she would fold.

He stepped back into the shadows and watched as she got into her car, switched the lights on and drove away. He’d give himself a week of surveillance to find out her routine, to discover her friends and her loves. To learn her new life. He again felt the familiar pang of jealousy course through his veins and he wanted to kill. Not her... well, at least not yet. He could fully see himself finding her fucking some loser and killing him and her in a bit of a frenzy but he didn’t want to measure out a quick revenge on her. No, hers was not going to be a quick death, she deserved so much more. Her whole life deserved to be destroyed just as his was. One thing was playing on him though, as he stood in the aftermath of seeing her. Why was he finding he wanted her? Why was he feeling a need for her to belong to him again? He then realised he wanted both. To destroy her and to reclaim her again. He would make her love him again.


	2. He Found Her - Star's POV

Dosh Dosh Dosh... Her shoes padded against the belt of the treadmill on every beat of the song on her iPod. She’d been running for nearly 2 hours and was beginning to tire. Working out had been a regular thing for 3 years now and it had paid off. Her body was still slim like before but now she had definite strength behind her and she was not someone any ordinary person would want to mess with now, but she didn’t train to defend herself against any ordinary person. She trained to defend herself against monsters. Even though she was sure David and his boys were gone, she still felt the need to prepare herself against any other ‘David’s’ out there and she was sure there were more out there. Her highlighted blonde hair was dead straight and wisps were falling in face as she ran. Running had been her thinking time and she thought about everything that had happened to her. She thought of her life, how she’d got to where she was and where she was headed, or not headed most of the time as she felt like she’d been treading water for the past year. She pressed stop at 2 hours and the treadmill came to a slow stop.

Funny but she still felt more comfortable being awake at night, at least then she was awake when the monsters came to get her. She stood on the treadmill and looked out the window and began to think of her past. She thought of her family and of how different her life would have been had her mother lived and then she thought of her dad and of Nick but she couldn’t think of them without thinking of the one’s she couldn’t speak of, or even think of, or she wanted to cry. She looked down. She missed Michael, even though she and he had split over a year ago, he was the only person who knew her past and she felt like he was the only one who truly understood her but when she had struggled to re align herself with normal people in a normal life the problems had become insurmountable. Her trust levels had plummeted after David and Sam and Lucy never really accepted her, but not for lack of trying. Michael, for the most part, ignored all that and tried to stick with her and had even proposed to her, to which she accepted but it all fell apart when she began to obsess over the past in the fear it would happen again. He wanted to forget and move on and she just couldn’t and she hated herself for it. She had lost someone who really loved her and she feared that she would never find that again. She had thought she’d found that with David in the beginning, but how wrong she was.

Deep in thought, she absent mindedly adjusted her necklace and she held the heart David had given her all those years ago, stroking the broken point at the bottom with her finger. It was sharp, like he had been, with a point that now felt like little fangs and she felt her eyes begin to water. She took a deep breath in and stopped herself from allowing herself to falter. She had cried enough over that man and swore to herself that she would never shed another tear over him or his boys ever again. She had been so disillusioned by him and she felt the effect he’d inflicted would be a lifelong affliction that she would never truly get over. Although she worked out like a mad woman to protect herself from the likes of him, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to take the token of his affections for her off, she felt like pulling it off and snapping the chain and throwing it out into the ocean but for whatever reason, she just couldn’t do it. In some sick way, it was the last thing she had that was a symbol of his love for her and she didn’t want to be without it. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw the glow of an orange cigarette butt in the darkness, was someone there? It gave her a chill up her spine and she decided to leave, wishing she wasn’t the only one here for the first time but normal people didn’t work out at 3am and again she didn’t feel normal. She went and changed into a pair of purple Juicy track pants and grabbed her jacket and drink bottle and headed for the door. As she exited, she looked around to see if she could spot anyone but she found she was alone. She took a few steps and she looked up at the semi-circle moon shrouded in a misty halo and knew it was a sign that a storm was coming, yet another thing she had learned from David one night on a beach walk together. There were some days where she felt like everything reminded her of him, no matter how much she tried to forget so she just continued to work and train, trying to quiet her mind and find peace.

She trotted down the path and just as she reached the corner to the car park she heard a noise and stopped, it was a sound she knew but couldn’t place, and it left her cold with a tense feeling in her stomach. She turned her head but only heard silence and she shivered, knowing she had to leave, her instinct telling her to. Approaching her car, she did a 180 and surveyed her surroundings, scanning for any sound, light or movement because she didn’t feel right and she’d learned to trust her instincts implicitly. She unlocked her car and got in, instantly locking it before she started up her car and left the parking lot, wondering if it was time to leave Santa Monica.


	3. The Reveal - David's POV

He had watched her closely over the past week, at her job, at the gym and at home and his interest in her slowly grew with each discovery about her new life. He watched how she would put up a complete false front when she was at her job running a small but busy restaurant as the night manager. Her hospitality skills were great, she had total control of the service being little miss social and flirting her way around the room seemingly making awesome tips. It made him jealous to see the reaction she would get from some of the patrons, smiling and laughing she would dart around the restaurant and with a wink and the offer of a free drink, they were in the palm of her hand. And he wanted to rip their throats out. What the fuck? He was supposed to be planning her demise, not feeling protective over her. She didn’t deserve a happy existence.

He had seen her at home, watching mindless drivel online and busying herself with nothing in particular, but when it was quiet and it was just her alone, he was sure he could still see into her thoughts and they were back with him. He had reverted back to his original plan but wasn’t so intent on killing her so quickly anymore. Thoughts of pulling her trachea out and forcing her to look into his ice blue eyes as she died were being replaced with what would be potentially worse for her. To be back in the fold of his graces... only to find the rules had changed. Now it would be all or nothing. There would be no boyfriends, no kids or halves. Now she would have to completely surrender to him, surrender everything. To become a part of him and to allow him to take over all parts of her, or he would kill her, and take great pleasure in doing it. He might do both but he still wanted to scare her, to shock her, intimidate her and dominate her first. He hadn’t felt like this in decades. Not since he had first seen her at the concert in 1986. He’d known then there was something about her, and as he followed her now, his interest was still there. Dwayne had always said she was like a drug for him, like a bad habit David just couldn’t give up but he’d also said that she was meant to be with him, that it was fate or something. He’d always had to know where she was and who she was with, until Max had interfered with the whole Lucy thing, which had quickly spun way out of control. His anger flared thinking of Max and his stupidly flawed plan.

David felt the burning in his stomach and looked at his watch. 2.52am. She had finished at 3am the last two nights so he was just about to get comfortable against the side of her red Mazda when a light blue Toyota drove down the side road next to the restaurant. A young man got out and headed inside then a few minutes later Star and the man emerged together and David retreated back into the shadows.

She walked with him to his car and got in leaving David feeling a sting of jealousy, along with curiosity, and he followed them, watching them pull up outside a local nightclub. They got out of the car and he watched as the man put his arm around Star’s waist and escorted her to the door. David wondered what she would do if he just came up behind them and tore her boyfriend’s head off in front of her. He lit a cigarette and thought better of it.

During the time it took for him to finish his cigarette he had ascertained that there were enough people in the place for him to be able to slip in fairly unnoticed. He kept to the back in the darkness and scowered the room for her and found her at a table with three others. He noticed she wasn’t drinking anything and he smiled, knowing that was throwback behaviour as a result of him. Never again would he see her take a drink from anyone after what he had given her to drink one night. They left the table and made their way onto the dance floor and she was quickly swaying and laughing and allowing the guy to touch her and hold her and kiss her on the neck.

He watched her with a stone cold expression on his face and he thought of his boys. He wanted them back, not for security or back up but for the fun they would have had with this. Paul loved this sort of shit, he missed Paul. And Marko, Marko lived for fucking with her but Marko would have had her head on a platter already. He still missed them though, he missed all of them and his body coursed with anger and sadness again. It was her fault. He hated being conflicted like this, it was simple; she helped kill them, she should die. But it wasn’t simple and his stupid feelings were telling him that. He didn’t think he had feelings anymore, he was dead inside, even more so than he was before. He was a vampire for fucks sake, but he missed his boys and he felt jealous of this thing slobbering all over his girl and an insatiable rage over the past. These were feelings as real as any normal person would have.

As she spun around in the dizzying flashing lights, he began to reveal himself to her with glimpses of his face behind a mirrored drink stand, a shot of his hair and jacket from behind a group of people and his killer blue eyes smiling at her from the darkness. Over and over again, until she finally caught him and he held her disbelieving gaze and stared, smiling and threatening then he disappeared back into the crowd.

He watched with satisfaction at her confusion and subsequent panic resulting from what she had thought she had seen and then he left, waiting outside for her to appear and he wasn’t kept waiting long. She bolted out of the door and went straight to the soon to be dead man’s car, the leach trailing behind after her and David fled to where her car was and waited for them to arrive there.

They arrived and they sat in the car talking for a bit before she got out nodding and she closed the door. He watched her walk over to her car and turn to weakly wave goodbye as the man’s Toyota drove past her. As she turned back, he was face to face with his old lover and David felt a small shiver jolt through him; he had forgotten how beautiful she was. She attempted to say something but nothing came out.

‘Hello Star.’ He offered.

He bore his stare into her making her feel his presence heavily and he could see it visibly scrambling her thoughts. He planned on taking full advantage of it when BANG!! She belted him across the face and took off. The force of her attack had taken him by surprise and boosted his fury, reminding him of his purpose here. This bitch should be on her knees begging for forgiveness but now the game was on. He smiled and was on her within 30 seconds.


	4. The Reveal - Star's POV

Star was waiting for Campbell to come and pick her up after work, she had only been seeing him casually for the past month or so and he was way more into it than she was. She was wary when it came to men now but she enjoyed his company and he made her laugh. She had decided to forego the gym tonight and go out with some of the crew from work so they left and walked out to his car then driving the twelve blocks to Paradise Den Nightclub. Star loved places like this, she could hide in the dark and didn’t have to talk to anyone if she didn’t want to. She could just lose herself in the loud bass and dance in her own little world. Here was one of the only places she could forget.

She was offered a drink but declined with a smile. She would never accept a drink from anyone else ever again, she’d learnt that lesson very well. She didn’t really like the feeling of getting drunk anyways so she was happy just to be there. Campbell pulled her to the dance floor and threw his arms around her and they danced together and he kissed her. She felt he was harmless and fun and she was comfortable with him, so she allowed it. She released from within his grip and turned her back to him and looked out into the crowd at the people swaying and grinding against each other and it was then she thought she saw something, a man with blonde hair and a black jacket but she dismissed it, there must have been two hundred people in this place and she often jumped when she saw men that resembled her ex. She kept dancing again when she saw him again, spiked hair smiling at her, then he was gone again and the smile dropped from her face. What the hell?? She spun around and gave an awkward look to Campbell who kissed her cheek and neck. She scanned her eyes around once again beginning to feel sick and from out behind a partition, he stood staring at her, his face dead and her heart stopped. She blinked and he was gone again. She had a sinking feeling that was quickly turning to terror.

She grabbed Campbell’s arm and, with alarm in her eyes, told him she wanted to leave. Within ten minutes they were back in his car and he was asking her what was wrong but she couldn’t tell him. It couldn’t be David, he was dead. She’d seen his body yet she was certain she’d seen him and what was she going to say to Campbell? Her dead ex-boyfriend was here? She made up a sore stomach and tried to leave it at that but he didn’t believe her. He took her to her car and she agreed to call him the next day when she was feeling better and she got out and walked towards her car, turning to wave goodbye and watching him drive away. She tried to calm herself, she was tired and she must have been hallucinating. That was it, she was seeing things. Then upon turning back towards her car she was confronted with someone she was sure she would never see again, could never see again, and her mouth dropped. She tried to say his name but nothing came out.

‘Hello Star’ David spoke to her and she felt his words like knives, she hadn't gone by that name since she and Michael had split and hearing that voice calling her by that name had her involuntarily shiver. He was real, he was here and he was speaking to her. And she was ready to fight. Before she had even really thought about it, she launched a hard right at his face and bolted. Her hand felt like she had just hit a concrete wall and she was running like she had never run before, her mind screaming, not comprehending the consequences of her actions.

She dared not to look back at him but to keep running when she felt something crush her shoulder and yank her backwards and down. Fire burned in her joint and she could only muster one thought; this was it, she was dead.


	5. Change of Plans - David's POV

David watched her sleep, the smell of her blood pooling in large pockets beneath her skin was making him restless and his eyes glint specks of yellow. He was sick of waiting, he had been patient for too long and wanted to act. She began to stir and she stood up. He had been right, she had put up a good fight, for a human... a girl and it had impressed him how she had changed physically and how sexy she was, he still had those needs and she had always held a certain appeal for him. Man first, vampire second

She sat up and held her head, he’d smashed her head into the ground during the fight and she had deserved it. He watched her feel her heavily bruised shoulder and look around but she failed to see him and she lay back down again.

‘Quite the little scrapper now, aren’t we?’ He wondered if she would try fight him again but she was moving kinda slowly and he didn’t think that was going to be on the cards tonight.

She stared blankly at him, confused and he grunted a low laugh at the look of disbelief on her face. Her eyes jumped from his eyes to his chest and he saw her struggle to breathe.

‘Nothing to say??’ He asked in mock interest. He knew his presence was mind fucking her. He laughed at her being unable to even get her brain to comprehend what her eyes were seeing let alone answer any questions being asked of her.

‘How the...?? What are you doing here??’ She asked, looking at him like she was looking at a ghost.

‘You don’t even know where ‘here’ is. Antlers, not wood’, he replied touching his chest. ‘I’m here for you Star, and I think you know why.’ He felt her thoughts go to Michael and interjected ‘No point going there, I found him months ago with some dark haired thing, highly intoxicated. Now they are both highly dead.’ He was interested in how he could still read her thoughts despite the disconnect between them.

His eyes glowed watching her stomach sink, knowing she was truly all alone now. ‘That’s right. It’s just you and me now. You made sure of that... You took my boys so I took yours, although it seems he left you first though.’ His heart surged with the power he felt.

‘David... Oh my God... I never wanted it to end like that...’

‘And, where did you want things to go with you doing that?? Leaving with _him_??’ He cut her off and grabbed her arm hard, feeling the muscle she had built tense up with the pain. She had become strong but it was nothing compared to an irate vampire and he was livid.

‘He came and got me the day Marko died, I had no choice’, she twisted her arm to free it but his grip got tighter. She was lying.

‘Liar! I saw you on the porch screaming for him to hurry up. You were supposed to kill him the night before that. That was the deal and you knew it. Instead you fucked him.’ He pulled her closer to him and glared down at her.

‘What do you want from me David? I have nothing you want anymore.’ He could sense she was beginning to panic and she was pulling harder away from him.

‘Oh yes there is’ He grabbed her other arm and stared hard at her. He was close enough to smell the blood pulsating through her jugular and it was almost too much for him. He subconsciously changed and hesitated before plunging his teeth into her neck, her blood tasting sweeter and more fulfilling than he had ever remembered and he wanted more and more. This was better than inspiring fear in his prey, better than sex, hell, this was better than feeling life perish between his fingers when he suddenly forced himself off her and watched her limp body fall back to the bed, her blood smeared across his face and dripping off his chin. He looked at her realising what he had done and he knew he had to make a decision now. To, either complete the job and kill her off, or to transfuse his blood and have her be a half again. Although his desire to avenge his brothers was his ultimate driving force, he still wanted to do more than just kill her and so he took her, slitting his wrist, opening her mouth and letting the redness fill her. She coughed and choked and began to spit and swallow and it felt good to know his blood was once again mixing with hers, tainting hers and changing her from the inside. He felt like she belonged to him again and it felt strangely right and he realised a new plan had been put into action. He cleaned her up and left her in the old Motel room, contemplating his next move.


	6. Change of Plans - Star's POV

She awoke in an unfamiliar bed in a darkened room. She had a sore head and was stiff all over, like she had done a full on work out the day before and she sat up unsteadily and looked around, nursing her head, then inspected what felt like a massive bruise on her shoulder. She saw deep black and red welts on her and tried to remember what happened. Judging by the dark purple sky she could see through the gap in the faded curtains, she guessed it was about 6pm and she lay back down and closed her eyes, trying to clear her head and remember where she was, how she got there and what the hell had happened to her.

‘Quite the little scrapper now, aren’t we?’ The sound of his voice startled her and to her absolute horror, when she opened her eyes, he was there. David. She thought that had been a dream and she felt sick. Her mind raced, how could it be him?? He was dead! Yet here he was, staring at her with those Arctic blue eyes she had once fallen for. Even though she had readied herself for this for 3 years, trained both body and mind for this exact moment, when she found herself face to face with the beast she was frozen. Powerless against him, just like she was back then. Only now she was scared, really scared, and she had a reason to be, she had gone against him, his wishes she had pushed aside for her own agenda. He said something else that she didn’t quite understand but she couldn’t think straight. How was she supposed to formulate some sort of defence when she couldn’t even answer him? She could barely breathe.

‘Nothing to say?’

‘How the...?? What are you doing here??’ She said breathlessly, terrified of his response and desperately trying to think of a way out of this already.

‘You don’t even know where ‘here’ is.’ He was right and she heard him let out a low chuckle. ‘Antlers, not wood’, her eyes followed his hand to his chest. I’m here for you Star, I think you know why.’ She suddenly thought of Michael, she had to find...

‘No point going there,’ he interrupted her thoughts, just like he used to and she looked up at his face. ‘I found him months ago with some dark haired thing, highly intoxicated. Now they are both highly dead.’ The blood drained away from her face and she looked away. What?? Michael was dead. Oh God, no. She could feel tears welling up. Michael couldn’t be dead. She knew David was a liar and she knew he would lie just to hurt her, but when she looked back at him and saw the superior look in his face, his eyes glowing, she knew he was telling the truth. He had killed him.

‘That’s right. It’s just you and me now. You made sure of that. You took my boys so I took yours, but it seems he left you first though.’ He was mocking her again and she tried to steel herself against his attack but she could feel the fear within growing.

‘David... Oh my God... I never wanted things to end like that...’ He cut her off and grabbed her arm hard, harder than she wanted. Harder than she remembered he could, she was strong but he was infinitely stronger. He was questioning her about that night, the night she’d left. Oh God, he is back for revenge! But if he wanted her dead, she would be a corpse already. What the hell was he going to do to her?? Please no torture David, just kill me if you are going to but no torture she thought. She had been made to bear witness to his torture methods one night and it had haunted her long after. It had been the thing that had kept her where she was for so long, knowing he would perform the acts he did that night.

‘He came and got me the day Marko died, I had no choice’, she shot back, painfully twisting her arm to free it, panicking, as his grip got tighter.

‘Liar! I saw you on the porch screaming for him to hurry up. You were supposed to kill him the night before that. That was the deal and you knew it, instead you fucked him.’ He pulled her closer to him and her fear inside was nearing hysteria.

‘What do you want from me David? I have nothing you want anymore.’ She was pulling harder away from him on the verge of kicking and screaming but trying to keep her cool and hopefully her life.

‘Yes there is.’ He grabbed her other arm and forced her to look at him. She had forgotten how seductive and attractive he could be and being so close to him again was dangerously intoxicating. This was the effect of a vampire. His eyes were transfixing her and before she knew it he had sunk his teeth into her.

She woke again in the strange room only this time it was day light and she was alone. She felt like she had been asleep for like a whole week which made her wonder how long she had been there. She cleaned her shirt as much as she could and left the room and went to the reception to try find out what day it was and she discovered she had been there for two days. The room had been paid for and the staff had been told to let her sleep by a tall blond on a bike. The lady behind the front desk looked at the state Star was in and said they were beginning to think that maybe a body had been left in the room as there had been no movement since he had left. She handed Star her keys and she looked at them. Two days. That meant she hadn’t been to work in two days and she needed to call in. She went outside and found her car in the parking lot, yet she had no idea how it had got there. She got in and suddenly remembered the bruise on her shoulder and she twisted to look at it in the rear vision mirror, but to her surprise it was gone. For that matter, she didn’t feel sore like she did before either. She sat there thinking about what the lady had said about a tall blonde on a bike… Then it all came flooding back to her. David. She’d seen David. He’d spoken to her. But where was he?? And why was she still alive?? Surely he would have killed her as soon as he’d laid eyes on her again, wouldn’t he?? She gapped it home to shower and change and called into work, desperately trying to get David out of her thoughts. For once she was happy to feel the sun on her skin but she felt fatigued.

Her boss had been trying to get hold of her for the past 24hrs, over something more than just her skipping work for a night. Campbell had been found with his throat ripped out down at Little Shoal Bay, a lady walking her little fluffy dog had made the gruesome discovery. The police had no suspects and were looking for anyone who was with him the night he died and, not realizing Star had been in a Motel room, they were keen to speak to the girl he was ‘seeing’. Especially one who was also missing and hadn’t shown up to work for two days. She hung up the phone and knew it wasn’t a hallucination and that David was real, he was back and he was angry and she knew this was part of her punishment. Although she wasn’t that into the whole relationship, she didn’t want anything to happen to him and she was genuinely distraught over the fact she had been the cause any kind of harm to Campbell. Her boss had given her the next three nights off in bereavement leave but she planned on using it to pack up and leave Santa Monica. The monster had found her and begun to exact his revenge. The sun was setting and for the first time in years, she was afraid of the dark.


	7. Dreams - David's POV

Killing Campbell was a given. Did she really expect him not to kill any guy he saw her with? Any man that gave her happiness or security was disposable now, whether they be a friend or a lover, they provided some kind of comfort in this world for her and, after what she did to him and his comforts, it was a luxury not afforded to her any longer. He would kill everyone she knew if he had to, leaving him to be the only person she had any familiarity with. Then, once the hunger was so strong she could barely stand and she was all alone, he would have her cornered with both her escape routes leading back to him.

Even if she did manage to leave, she would succumb to the urges that would eventually rock her body and she would come back to find him and, if she didn’t and she chose to end it all by her own hand, she would be making a decision that he knew she found so abhorrent, so devastating and heartbreaking to her that it would almost be worth it to him. But not now, not after tasting her blood again as it ignited old feelings and he wanted to be the one draining her of her life blood, consuming her like he always promised he would should it go that way. Either way it was a win for him.

He began to think about his next victim and he looked forward to what Star’s reaction would be. He hadn’t seen her in the past 24hrs and it would be another 24 until he did. By then, she would know the only man she had trusted since Michael would be dead and if there was any doubt he was serious before, she would be under no illusion then. Also by then she would definitely be feeling the effects of her heart pumping his blood through her body and would surely recognise what was happening to her. Even though it had been nearly 4yrs, turning was not something she would forget in a hurry and judging by the dreams he was having last night, the transformation had already begun. He wondered if because she had been half before, the transition would be quicker as he hadn’t had dreams like this since the last time he turned someone, that someone being Michael. His connection with her had become stronger since the blood sharing and he suddenly picked up on a thought from her planning to leave Santa Monica, just disappearing into the ether but it had taken him over 3yrs to find her again and he wasn’t going to let her slip away that easily. He rode down to her work and found her car parked down a back alley and he disabled her main engine cables and left, putting the next part of his evening’s plans into action.

David had observed Star and Melissa during his reconnaissance mission and knew their friendship meant something to her and this was going to be something he was going to enjoy. He found the girl conveniently at her home, out on her porch when he calmly approached.

‘Got a light?’ The girl looked up startled but pleasantly surprised and smiled at the stranger in front of her. David grinned back.

‘Hi... ah... sure. I think I can find something.’ She got up and went inside, coming out a minute later with a flame.

‘Thanks’ He took the lighter, lit a smoke and handed it back. ‘You’re Melissa right?’ He poured it on thick and could sense the girl’s attraction to him. She tilted her head and blushed and he stepped closer, this was going to be easy. ‘Can I come in Melissa?’

‘Who are you?’ She asked, looking at him sideways despite her obvious like for the man.

‘I am an old friend of Star’s. She suggested I should come over and meet you...’ He trailed off and stared deep into her eyes, watching her blush again. She visibly relaxed at the mention of her friend’s name and invited him in. Done. As he walked in the house and past the kitchen bench, her phone began ringing with Star’s name flashing on the screen. Perfect timing. He picked it up and answered it to the shock of Melissa.

‘Where ya going Star?’ He was amused by her stammered response. He was two steps ahead of her and she didn’t even know it. He challenged her on her plans of leaving and he could hear the fear in her voice.

‘Why are you answering Mel’s phone? What are you doing there??’ She asked.

‘Star, have you forgotten that much about me?’ he replied, holding the phone between his shoulder and ear and grabbing Melissa by her hair and pulling her roughly towards the ground. Melissa screeched and he ripped her head to one side and crudely snapped her neck, her body dropping heavily to the floor and he kicked it away with his foot. He held the phone in his hand again and told her he had provided her with an incentive not to leave Santa Monica.

‘Please David, don’t do this! Wasn’t Campbell enough?? You don’t have to hurt her...’ She said shakily.

‘Campbell?? Hahahaha... He was just the beginning. And it’s too late for your friend Melissa here, as I do believe she has expired on the floor in front of me’. David loved being in control, especially where Star was concerned. She fired an insolent comment at him regarding her intentions and he was suddenly violently angry. How dare she treat him like this? He continued to tell her the consequences of her actions should she maintain her planned path and when that wasn’t concrete enough, he threatened to find her precious Laddie. That sealed the deal and he knew it. He ended the conversation by telling her he would see her soon as she would be needing him by then.

He looked over at Melissa’s body and briefly considered it a waste not to have fed, but quickly dismissed the thought and left. He went and stayed in a Motel for the day, a surge of excitement and power moved through him when he thought of how this would change the reckless arrogance that had become his Star. There was no doubt she would fear him the way she used to, the way she should now and he fell into his death like slumber and again dreamt.

He awoke and left to find her car and subsequently found her inside it. He leaned against the closest tree she had parked under and watched her sleep. It had been a long time since he had felt like this, he wanted to love her and crush her at the same time. She woke up and sat there feeling sorry for herself and he knew his plan was working, she was becoming more isolated and solemn and alone. He was making her like him and he enjoyed watching her suffer with it, she deserved it. He straddled his bike and she got out of her car shortly after.

‘Car trouble?’ He sneered at her and the situation he’d put her in. She looked at him and her face hardened and she grabbed her jacket and took off in the opposite direction. He was dismayed at her behaviour and asked her where she was going. She flippantly answered him, telling him to leave her alone and continued to walk away. He corrected her telling her that wasn’t the best idea, considering, and he revelled in the recognition in her face that he was speaking the truth. She glowered at him and his face changed and he wasn’t playing anymore and he told her to get on his bike. She turned to walk away again and he had had enough.

‘Star.’ He said her name, coated with his compelling overtones of ownership, and she stopped dead. She flicked another look his way and he caught her, maintaining her gaze for an uncomfortably long amount of time then she slowly began to move towards him. He watched her with an intolerant satisfaction as she got closer and she climbed on behind him. He had won and feeling her arms wrap around him he felt a wave of energy and stimulation, like all he needed were his fallen comrades and he was complete. He suddenly wanted her, wanted to consume her and show her he could and would have what he wanted. To show her that he was in control.

He rode, faster than usual, heading straight to her house, the cars and shops blurring into a mix of colours and lights moving past him until he reached his destination. He pulled up outside her house, dismounted his bike and without pause he walked up and replied to her thoughts of her trying to get in without him and he reached the door before her and spun around placing his arm across the doorway.

‘Invite. Now.’ He demanded and upon her averse permission, he pushed the door open, and off its hinges, and led her into her room, waiting for her to follow. Grabbing her as soon as she entered, he bore his stare into her and she melted before him and he had her right where he wanted her right now but he wanted her to physically ache for him too. He sliced his tongue on the edge of his tooth and kissed her deeply, ensuring her mouth filled with his blood and she began to swallow and in doing so, almost became dependant on him, clinging to him for support. Her total submission by sucking on his blood made him horny and wanting to engage in the sexual domination of her now too. He lay her back on her bed and proceeded in taking her for all he wanted. He desired to devour her existence and it was giving him far more pleasure than what he was expecting. Both her body and mind were his and he was going to take his time and enjoy this.


	8. Dreams - Star's POV

The dreams were so vivid, like she had never left Santa Carla. The Boardwalk, the cave, her sleeping quarters, Laddie’s bed, Laddie, and the boys all melding into one lucid series of images. The way they would laugh and whistle, the way Paul would tease her when David would pull the controlling card, the way Marko would watch and listen to everything with a sly smile, heavily under David’s influence and the way Dwayne would ignore her and nail trick after trick on his skateboard next to the fire pit. And David, watching her from the other side of the room, his gaze penetrating her, opening her soul to him for him to slowly devour it.

She awoke with a start, and it was night time again and she got up, packed a few things and headed down to her work to resign and get her final pay because she was sure now she was definitely leaving Santa Monica. She was going to leave 90% of her small amount of stuff and she would be gone. She felt more alive and restless at night, more active and needing to be out around people. She needed to see the lights and the colours and hear the music, to feel the vibrancy of the people on the pier and the surrounding streets, yet for the past two days when she was faced with that giant golden orb in the sky, she felt like a zombie and unable to keep her eyes open and never even woke to eat or go to the bathroom until the sun had slipped beneath the horizon again. She knew this feeling, this behaviour and what the dreams meant, she didn’t want to but she did. It was like an old friend, or a very old enemy in her case but oh so familiar to her. The butterflies in her stomach, the wired feeling behind her eyes, the desire to float up and rush through the air and the beginnings of the gut wrenching thirst that she had become so weak to in the past. She was turning. She couldn’t remember when or how it had initially happened, but she was sure David’s blood was inside her and that realization had her heart lurching into her throat. She began to feel her escape was now futile but she corrected herself and thought she was still better off alone and without any bloodletting going on around her nor a man encouraging her to partake in it. 

She left with the cash in her hand and was made to promise to contact the Police, who still wanted to speak to her about Campbell, and she got back into her car. She pondered for a second about where she could head to that he wouldn’t be able to track her to and she looked at the $700 in her hand and she thought of the airport. If she was to jump on a plane for 9hrs, he would have no idea which direction she would have gone and she estimated it would take him a fairly extensive period of time before he even remotely caught on to her. Hopefully by then he would have given up and realised she wasn’t worth the effort. She had a passport now, Lucy had helped her get one for her and Michael’s planned honeymoon in Italy which made her think of Michael and she felt sad again, which was quickly replaced with a sting of fear and, in turn, anger. She had worked so hard on herself to be physically and mentally prepared to not be scared but she just couldn’t help it, David was scary. Very scary. 

She put the keys in the ignition and turned the barrel. Nothing. She tried again but her car was dead. She dropped her head on the headrest and let her arms fall to her side, typical, she thought as she rolled her eyes. She phoned the AA for assistance and it was going to be up to three hours wait so she figured she should really talk to her friend and co-worker Melissa, and let her know she was leaving. Star actually liked Melissa and didn’t want her worrying about Star, thinking she had simply just left without saying anything. She pressed send on her phone and waited for the connection. 

‘Where ya going Star?’ Instead of her friend, a male’s voice questioned her down the phone. A male voice she knew and she was thrown off guard and confused. Why was David answering Melissa’s phone?

‘David?’ She asked trying to work out what was going on, her stomach sinking. 

‘Do you think you can just leave? Just like that?’ he retorted sarcastically.

‘Why are you answering Mel’s phone? What are you doing there??’ She asked, her voice shaky, half knowing and instantly dreading the answer.

‘Star, have you forgotten that much about me?’ He chuckled and she heard a high pitched squeal along with the sickening cracking of bone in the background through the phone. ‘Let’s just say I have provided you with an incentive not to leave Santa Monica without me.’

‘Please David, don’t do this! Wasn’t Campbell enough?? You don’t have to hurt her...’ She and said rapidly exhaling a shallow breath.

‘Campbell?? Hahahaha...’ He interrupted her laughing. ‘He was just the beginning. And it’s too late for your friend Melissa here, as I do believe she has expired on the floor in front of me’ He said becoming very serious.

‘I am not staying here with you!’ She shot back, her defiance showing and his voice levelled and became ice cold.

‘Do you honestly think this is the extent of how far I will go?? You will have no one left alive that you can go to if you try to leave me again.’ He paused, ‘I’ll even go get Laddie.’ He let that sink in and she was silent. ‘I’ll see you soon girl, you will be wanting my help by then.’ He finished the conversation laughing and hung up. She bolted outside for fresh air and promptly vomited behind the bins next to the restaurant. By the time she made it back to the car, she could barely see through her tears, her heart was pounding so loudly she was unable to hear anything else and she was shaking so hard her hands struggled to get the door open. She sat in the car in the black of the moonless night and quietly began to go into shock. Not only over the fact she had yet again been the cause of another friend’s death, but over the horribly familiar situation she was finding herself in again. Only this time it was worse, this time she owed him and he was definitely going to collect. Star had been the cause of many a man to meet his demise being the boys bait and that had always been troubling to her but she had always tried to rationalize it with the fact they were strangers, just random people. She’d never liked it but most of the time, that had been effective enough for her to continue on but Melissa was not a random person. She was a friend, the first friendship Star had made the effort to maintain since she had left Michael and now she was gone. How could she leave now? She would have to go to Melissa’s funeral. It was all too much for her and she cried again over the loss of her kind hearted friend. Why did David have to do this? Couldn’t he just go away and find new friends? A new girl? She knew that essentially it was her fault he lost his boys and she should now expect some sort of retribution because of it but not an ongoing one. If he was going to kill her, couldn’t he just do it already? Not meter it out and make her suffer. Definitely not change her again, that was a fate worse than death. David torture. Surely he wouldn’t want her to be around him again? What would he have to gain? That thought scared her and she remembered the power he’d once had over her, the control he had exacted over her and the ultimate expectation he had of her. She felt the panic rising within her and again she felt sick. She was so tired she lay her seat back and closed her eyes willing her thoughts to go away.

_She was walking into the house she grew up in in San Francisco only this place had stairs, through the front door and into the hallway when she looked into the living room, she saw Paul kneeling over a paddling pool filled with blood in the middle of the room and he was drinking from it while Marko was perched on the windowsill staring at her, smiling. He was always smiling._

_‘He’s upstairs.’ She kept walking down the hallway and came to a second room just after the staircase. She peered in and Dwayne was lying half naked on an old 1920’s stylized couch with a girl, making out with her. He looked up at Star and his eyes were blazing yellow and red and he stepped away quickly and went back to the stairs and began climbing them. It seemed to take forever to get up those stairs and the closer to the top it got the darker the house became. She finally got to the top and there was just one large room with a bed and a body lying on it. David was standing at the foot of the bed and he turned to her._

_‘He’s yours.’ He said and she walked towards the bedside and looked at the person lying there. She turned back to look at David and he was smirking at her. ‘You’re mine now.’ He said confidently and she wiped her face and it felt wet, looking at the back of her hand it was covered with a thick red._

She awoke with beads of sweat on her forehead and her heart rattling her chest. She didn’t remember falling asleep but after the last 48 hours, she was exhausted and wasn’t surprised she had crashed. She was still in the car and it was dark and once she had located her phone, she was surprised to see it was 10pm - of the next night. She had slept the whole day away in the shade of the trees she had parked under, down a dodgy little alleyway. She scrolled through her contacts to see who she could call to help her because obviously AA hadn’t arrived last night. She was shocked no one had come and said something to her but she did park where she hoped David wouldn’t have seen her, and it seemed he hadn’t. She thought of Campbell and Melissa and it dawned on her that whoever she got to help her would probably end up dead too and she knew she was dangerous to be around now. She put down her phone and a tear of frustration and sadness welled up. She could feel the urge for blood intensifying every day and although she wouldn’t admit it, even to herself, she wasn’t craving just anyone’s blood; she wanted David’s. But to even think that thought was like admitting she wanted to sleep with the Devil. What was she going to do? She was feeling claustrophobic and trapped. This is exactly what he wanted she thought, and the fear she was experiencing was like a pain in her side. She was too scared to close her eyes and too scared to keep them open. She had to shake it off, she wished she could go to the gym, more for the headspace it would put her in than anything else. Since she hit him in the face three days ago, and nearly broke her hand, she was confident she had come off second best so working out for protection against him now was futile. Then it dawned on her with horrifying clarity that he had won. Without any physical protection from him, and with her heart pumping his blood through her veins, he had won. If she was left alone without him, she would either cave to the blood lust or kill herself and if she surrendered to his wishes, she would be what she swore she would never become. The Bride of Dracula. She wondered if that was his end goal or if there was more. She needed to get a better grip on where his head was at and doing that terrified her because for her to get into his head, she would have to let him into hers and, right now, she felt like he was already in there a bit much for her liking. She got out of the car and stretched.

‘Car trouble?’ a malicious laugh followed along with the strike of a match and she spun around and saw her leather clad nemesis straddling his bike, his eyes glinting like stars, looking very much like the cat who got the cream, or the vampire who had his power back. As she looked at him all arrogant and superior, her fear solidified into anger and suddenly she was pissed. She grabbed her jacket and headed off on foot towards a gas station about two and half blocks away.

‘Going somewhere?’

‘David, I’m not in the mood. Just leave, or let me leave.’ She had spoken while she was putting her jacket on and already beginning to walk away.

‘Ah... you don’t really want me to do that...You may find yourself in more trouble if I leave you alone than if I stay. But there’s one thing you are right about, we are leaving.’ She turned around and glared at him, knowing he was speaking the truth. ‘Get on Star.’ The smile had gone and he was serious and she looked at him incredulously.

‘I’m not going anywhere with you.’ She backed away and had just turned her back to him when she heard her name again and she stopped, unable to move forward. She glanced back at him once more only this time she was frozen. Locked. He had her, and she couldn’t resist then, without conscious thought, she found she was walking towards him and she put her arm around his neck and mounted the engine behind him. He accelerated almost as soon as she was on, weaving through the streets faster and faster, so fast she had to squeeze her arms around him tight as not to fall off and the adrenalin was screaming through her body. He drove straight to her house without asking her for directions and once there, he got off and strode confidently to her front door. She knew she had to invite him in but before she could even formulate a plan of getting inside without him, he called over his shoulder answering her thoughts again.

‘No chance,’ He walked to the door and stood in front of it with his arm across the doorway and demanded an invite. She grudgingly obliged but before she had a chance to unlock the door, he had broken the lock and pulled the door off its hinges and was on his way in to the house and towards her room. She tentatively followed and found him standing at the foot of her bed. He grabbed her, pulling her towards him making her pulse quicken and her thoughts become fragmented. His eyes were drawing her in again and her ability to withstand his leverage weakened then he kissed her deeply and she felt like she was on fire. Her mind was screaming no, for her to fight him, to go and run as far as she could but her body was going nowhere. He had cut his tongue on his incisor and her mouth was filling up with his blood and she couldn’t get enough. She clung to him, sucking and drinking from him and her legs feeling like they were going to buckle beneath her, as he lay her down on the bed. She was intoxicated with his presence, his scent and his blood and she had no choice but to succumb to his seduction and he had his way with her.


	9. The Morning After - David's POV

_David was riding along familiar shorelines with his boys in close succession. He rounded a bend along the beach and went up close to the grass verge when he noticed a white body lying on the grass and he slowed to a stop and got off his bike to take a closer look. He saw a mass of dark curls framing a pale face with dark red lips. Sleeping Beauty. He woke her, gently shaking her shoulder, and her eyes opened revealing golden yellow and red orbs and he was confused. He looked around to see his boys watching him, Paul with amusement, Dwayne with a mild interest and Marko with disdain. Suddenly she launched and latched onto Dwayne, his blood flooding out of the wound she’d inflicted once he’d shaken her off. There was so much blood, it was all over his bike and pooling on the sand. Too much blood. There was enough blood for three people and yet it still flowed. Star looked back and forth at David and Dwayne and began laughing, her face dripping with blood. She stood up and was flanked by Michael and Campbell. David looked at Marko and there was no smile on his friends face and he got back on his bike and rode to the Boardwalk. As he approached the entrance, he could see Laddie sitting on a railing banging a stick against a pole. Bang, Bang, Bang! Over and over again. Bang, Bang, Bang!... Bang, Bang, Bang! …Bang! …Bang! …Bang!_

David began to regain consciousness and awoke horizontal for the first time in years, the intimate smell of his girl around him. He felt her move and heard more banging.

‘Yeah, OK! Just a minute...!’ Star’s voice broke through and he opened his eyes to find her standing over him, fully dressed and looking like she was ready to leave.

‘You’re not going anywhere.’ He projected his thought to her.

‘David, I need to talk to them otherwise they are going to track me thinking I have something to do with Campbell.’ He felt hungover and irritable, more so than usual, during the day and he was not in the mood for this. Fucking cops. He was also reviled to let her out of his sight right now but he knew she was right. The last thing he needed was unwanted authoritarian attention ‘I’ll be right back’ She said and he stared flatly at her.

‘Ma’am, we need to speak to you now...’

‘Go.’ He relented, closing his eyes to the sun lighting up the thick dark curtains. Although the door had been closed behind her, he could clearly hear the pigs begin to interrogate her. He hated cops. He heard her lie about the door and again about the Motel. Hmmm, they had tracked her there... How far back had they tracked her?? She was floundering for answers to the man’s questions and she’d obviously forgotten David had the Motel room before her and the Night Manager could attest to that and to the fact she wasn’t alone when asked.

‘What was your relationship with the deceased?’ One of the cops asked her.

‘We were friends’

‘Were you fucking him?’ He heard the other cop ask. What the fuck?? David opened his eyes again, his anger beginning to rise in his chest and her answer didn’t make him feel any better. David got up and put his pants on. He heard the dirty cop slur at Star and he half expected her to smack him, considering the right hook she’d given him when she saw him. He wanted to be out there with her, he’d like to see this prick say anything to her in front of him. This pig wasn’t going to be around much longer once David had his chance. He was feeling anxious knowing there was nothing he could do until the moon shone.

‘Whose bike?' Fuck, my bike! He suddenly remembered that in his haste to get her home, he’d forgotten to hide his bike. A careless mistake cause now the cops knew his bike but his thoughts stopped when he heard her response and he couldn’t help himself but to smile at her ease in saying it. Almost automatically, like it was an old habit. He was affecting the way she was thinking and amongst the anger and frustration he was currently experiencing, he felt a swell of pride in how quickly things were changing, of course his blood wasn’t hurting the situation. Thinking about that, he again was surprised she was keeping it together out there.

‘Another boyfriend already? I knew you looked like a slut. Fucked him already too?’ Oh, this guy is a cunt! He heard Star tell him to back off and David couldn’t wait to rip this guy a new asshole. He was not a happy vampire, having being woken up for one but having this git saying this to her and he’d turned before he’d realised it and he was crouched ready to pounce behind the door. He heard them ask about Melissa and he was over it. He wanted this to end. He had decided they would leave tonight regardless of what the pigs wanted, he should have left with her straight after Melissa was dealt with. Neither of them were going down for anything, he’d been alive for far too long for this shit. Then he heard them telling her she needed to leave with them and this only compounded his feelings and he was ready to explode.

‘Like fuck you are leaving with them.’ He growled at her as soon as she walked back in the room.

‘I don’t have a choice,’ she whispered. She looked nervous. Once again, he knew she was right and he’d have to appease them, unless he just left her to deal with it. That’d fuck her, what would she do then? That thought was briefly appealing to him but no, he could do better... He suddenly had a feeling she would try and use this as her chance to bolt and he cautioned her again about the consequences.

‘If you have not returned by sun down, I will be at that Station. You better be there. You know what will happen if you’re not.’ She went to leave and he grabbed her arm and demanded to know that fucking cops name and she told him. ‘He’s fucking dead.’ He knew then she would have belted him if she could have but considering her current circumstances, decided she was in enough trouble as it was. He’d finish that one for her. In an odd way, this had actually worked for him, through his actions, she was already suffering – not in the way he’d initially planned but still it was surprisingly effective. He thought about Michael and wondered if they would connect him with to also, with the body count at three, she would be in a world of trouble. No one knew about David but Star had made a life trail since they had parted ways and that was one thing he’d always taught her not to do, especially with their means of fulfilment.

He heard the car doors slam and the car take off with a spurt of gravel and he lay back on her bed, feeling exhausted and he was reclaimed by his daily death.


	10. The Morning After - Star's POV

‘This is the Police!’ Star awoke to the sound of a loud banging and a man calling out. Although it was dark in her room, she could tell it was still light outside, too light, and she was struggling to truly wake up but she knew that this was something she was going to have to deal with. With very little strength, she managed to pry David’s vice like grip from around her and the memory of last night, what they had done together flooded her brain. She turned to look at him and his face was just inches from hers.

‘Hello?!’ Bang! Bang! Bang! The noise shook her and she was surprised to see David begin to stir. She didn’t want him to wake so she moved quickly and got up and dressed, this was her chance to escape him without him being able to do anything about it. That was, if she could withstand the sun herself. She thought of her car and wondered how quickly it could be fixed and how long she was going to be tied up with these guys then she looked for her phone to see the time but failed to locate it. It must be in her car.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

‘Yeah, OK! Just a minute...!’ She finally answered, glancing at the body lying motionless on her bed just in time to see his eyes shoot open and look directly at her. He didn’t say anything but she heard his voice clear as a bell in her head, telling her she wasn’t going anywhere. She saw the shadow of a Police officer move past her dark curtained windows and quickly reasoned with him. ‘David, I need to talk to them otherwise they are going to track me thinking I have something to do with Campbell.’ She whispered to him and he continued to stare at her. ‘I’ll be right back’ she instinctively reassured him.

‘Ma’am, we need to speak to you...’

‘Go’ he allowed before his eyes slid closed again and Star turned and left the room.

‘Star?’ The taller of the two spoke to her first and she nodded. ‘I am Officer Strand and this is Officer Conner. We need to speak to you regarding the homicide of Mr Campbell Taylor.’

‘What happened to your door?’ The second officer appeared next to her and stood just a little too close, eyeballing her up and down. 

‘My brother and his friend were messing around.’ She replied without missing a beat. This guy gave her the creeps, he was one of those Officers who was on a total power trip who would happily take a bribe, or a piece of ass, to ensure a certain outcome. She tried not to look at him and focused on the taller man.

‘Where were you three nights ago?’ He asked.

‘I stayed in a Motel for a couple of nights.’ She replied.

‘Who were you with?’

‘I was alone.’ She said, probably a little too quickly.

‘You stayed in a Motel alone half an hour from your house?’ he pressed, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her.

‘Yeah.’ She answered, the confidence fading in her voice.

‘And you have proof of that?’ He was sensing a lie.

‘Yeah.’ She weakly bluffed. She didn’t pay, David did. Well she assumed he did, but she couldn’t imagine David paying for anything.

‘What was your relationship with the deceased?’ Officer Strand asked.

‘We were friends.’ She didn’t exactly lie but she didn’t divulge the complete truth.

‘Were you fucking him?’ The one called Conner rubbed up beside her as he spoke and she frowned at him. What was this guy’s problem? Before she had really thought about it she had corrected him saying they went out a couple of times, basically to help expedite this process but forgetting who else was in the house listening. ‘You look like a slut’ He took pleasure in her discomfort as he looked over her body, his eyes practically molesting her. ‘With that fine ass...’

‘When was the last time you saw Campbell?’ The taller officer intervened, totally ignoring his partner’s comments. She was beginning to feel sick.

‘The night before he died’ she looked away, remembering the happiness she had felt before she had seen David that night.

‘Who’s bike?’ The perverted officer pushed his baton into her leg.

‘My boyfriend’s’ She just about choked when she heard herself say the words out loud. She tried to maintain her composure but it was obvious that she had said something she instantly regretted.

‘Another boyfriend already?? I knew you were a slut.’ The dirty cop touched her ass.

‘Hey! Get off!’ She pushed his hand away and moved away from him. She couldn’t believe the other officer was allowing him to act like this.

‘Is your new boyfriend the jealous type? Did he have a problem with your ex?’ The taller officer once more ignored his partner’s indiscretion and interjected again. She shook her head and looked down. A telling sign.

‘And where is your boyfriend now?’

‘He’s at work.’ She answered without looking up.

‘Without his bike?’ The officer asked, disbelieving her.

‘He took my car.’ She shot back. She was getting annoyed with this now.

‘Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt Campbell?

‘No, everyone loved Campbell.’ She answered quickly, hoping this would end soon.

‘Right... And Melissa Clayton, she was your friend too, right?’ They both stared at her and she felt the colour drain away from her face. ‘Very strange two of your friends have been murdered in the past four days, don’t you think? And now you’re apparently leaving town? Why?’

She didn’t know what to say. ‘I just think it is better for me that I leave. I had decided that before I found out Campbell died.’ More lies. God, David had been back in her life four days and she was already lying to the Police because of him.

‘Yeah... You know what? I think you need to come with us to the station for clarification on a few things.’ The tall one closed his note pad and held out his arm to escort her to their car.

‘Ugh...Can I get my jacket then please?’ She asked, wanting a way to see if David was still asleep. Constable Conner allowed her, following her in, while the other one went to wait in the car. She entered and walked to her room, the sleazy officer walked in after her but something made him stop and he waited in the kitchen.

She walked into her room and found David crouched behind the door, his eyes blazing and his teeth exposed. He was pissed.

‘Like fuck are you leaving with them!’ He hissed.

‘I don’t have a choice!’ She looked at him, desperately hoping the officer wouldn’t hear him.

‘If you have not returned by sun down, I will be at that Station. You better be there. You know what will happen if you’re not.’ He warned her and reluctantly agreed to her leaving.

‘What’s that fucker’s name?’ He grabbed her arm before she left as he asked her.

‘Conner.’ She said pulling herself free and he let go. He was weaker during the day, she could feel it. It was during the day she would escape again.

‘He’s fucking dead.’ He more said it to himself than to her. He was burning with fury. In all honesty she didn’t mind if David killed him. He was an asshole.

‘I will see you soon.’ She falsely promised, praying he couldn’t tell what she was contemplating attempting again. She left the room and was ushered into the squad car.


	11. Finishing Up - David's POV

_David was sitting on the railing above the stage surveying the scene beneath him. There were people dancing and laughing and moving everywhere and lights flashed and swirled while the band screamed music through the speakers. Scantily clad girls bumped past him, trying to get his attention and he took a look, as men do, but he let them past and continued to watch the crowd. He saw long blonde hair and thought it was Star but she turned and it wasn’t her and he felt disappointed and lit a cigarette. Again he saw the glint of a sparkly skirt and his dead heart skipped a beat but, again, it wasn’t her and he got annoyed._

_‘She’s a bitch.’ David heard the voice and turned to see who it was but no-one was there. He now began actively seeking her out in the crowd and was pissed he couldn’t locate her._

_‘Don’t bother. I always told you she would become trouble.’ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a guy with short curly hair and when he looked into his eyes, they were yellow and red just like his. David looked at him and it was Marko. He looked down and Marko had a dead baby in his hands that he’d killed and he threw it into the crowd. He got up and told David to come back then he walked away._

David woke up and he could tell it was early evening, still light and the dream shook him. He knew he wanted to leave but he hadn’t decided on where until now. He was going back to Santa Carla. He told Star to come back and rolled a joint as he waited for her response. He hadn’t thought of Marko or the boys much since he had found Star. He truly thought Marko was dead and he tried to think back to that day and the specifics around his death, around all of their deaths after that dream. Was there a possibility they could be still alive? Any of them? Even the thought had butterflies in his stomach and he focussed on that night. He remembered chasing Sam and burning his hand and going to Star’s empty bed and feeling the rage take over. The next thing he remembered was leaving the Cave with Paul and Dwayne with nothing but revenge on his mind. As hard as he could, he couldn’t remember seeing Marko’s body or the wounds inflicted, he was just sure with all the blood loss he saw Marko suffer, he was sure his friend was dead. Suddenly his mind was racing, this dream was definitely of Marko, he’d never really liked Star and he’d enjoyed watching David, Paul and Dwayne mess with her and make her feel uncomfortable. Paul on the other hand, quite liked her and was keen on seeing her become a fully-fledged family member and would encourage Star to go along with David but Marko really didn’t care for her. He didn’t like the attention she seemed to demand from David and he hated having to keep an eye on her for David.

‘Star…’ He called to her again and got a confirmation she was returning. He needed a plan, he hadn’t needed a plan in 90 years and now he needed a plan. He had the cops looking for him, a cop that needed to die and he had to decide what he was doing with Star and now he was being pulled back to Santa Carla. He smiled at the idea, he felt like he was going home he knew the place so well. He knew how to blend and hide there. He sensed Star wasn’t going to be happy about their destination but he didn’t care, she was coming with him. He looked at the time, 5.30. He knew she could be up to an hour in traffic so he blazed a few tokes until his head went numb and his frustrations had settled. His thoughts drifted back to his dream and of how certain he had been that they had all perished. He heard Star’s Mazda skid on the drive as she pulled up and he laughed at the sound. He heard her front door open and she walked in. She opened the bedroom door and he took in his fourth or fifth drag (...he didn’t know), as she looked at him. He offered the joint to her and to his surprise, she took it. She looked weary and he watched her inhale deeply and cough the smoke back out. He laughed at her under his breath and she took another toke before handing it back to him. ‘But that’s not what you want, is it girl?’ He said, not taking his eyes off her. He watched the smoke taking effect and she walked towards him and kissed him. He was taken aback and instantly horny but before he could really get into the kiss, she pulled away with a look of absolute horror on her face. ‘Oh... Is that what you want?’ He chuckled as he saw her flush and go red. Her embarrassment and obvious vulnerability made him want her more. He was hard.

‘I think we should leave.’ She said quickly, distracting herself from him by scrambling around for stuff she wasn’t going to need. He sliced open a vein in his forearm and offered it to her. He watched her impatiently wondering how long it would take her to sense it.

‘Star...’ His voice penetrated her and she stopped, unable to resist looking at him and he held her there for a moment. ‘Here...’ He thrust his arm at her and her eyes went to his arm and to the stream of blood running down towards his hand. She dropped to her knees in front of him and he stood closer above her and he ran his fingers down the nape of her neck as she took his arm and latched on. She drank for a few minutes then her sucking became more intense and she began tearing at his arm which actually hurt him and he pushed her off. Holding his arm, he stood back and looked at her, realising what was happening and what her problem was. His arm stopped bleeding and he pulled her to her feet and he looked at her before he licked the blood off her chin. He smiled, he could feel himself owning her again. He suddenly had a flash of the Boardwalk in his head and he broke from her and held her until she had her footing. ‘You’re right about one thing, we are outta here.’ She looked at him like she was looking through him and heard nothing and that confirmed it for him, his blood was too strong for her and she was going to have to start feeding for herself. That pig wouldn’t be a bad first kill... ‘You’ve obviously got your car, yes?’ He looked at her and lowered his head as he asked her.

‘Ahhh… yeah, but you’ve got your bike? You hate being in a car.’ She suddenly snapped out of her daze.

‘Yeah… well, the pigs know my bike and it sounds like they wanna chat so they’re gonna be lookin for it.’ He responded putting his jacket on and the roach in his pocket.

‘Right.’ She replied, despondent and deep in thought, one which he caught. She knew she was back with him again.

‘We’re going in your car.’ He said putting his boots on. He got up and saw her standing with a small bag on her back, looking around sentimental over her life and it made him instantly annoyed and angry to see her still longing for that existence. She had never appreciated the gift he had given her and she was either going to embrace it now or not live through it this time. She’d pissed him off with her non-committal attitude to the process and he grabbed her arm and forced her outside with him, it was dark enough now for them to leave. She got in the passenger side of the car and he looked over at his bike. Fuck, he’d have to get another one. His anger grew and he needed to kill. Now. He was going to find that asshole Conner, he was deserving of it, and he was going to ensure Star was going to partake.

He drove down to Venice Beach as he had heard them speaking outside yesterday and knew they were covering an event there tonight. Perfect, lots of people, lots of hammered people for him to disappear into. Star would have to remain hidden though, at least until he brings her out to finish him. He left her further down the beach and told her he’d be back when he had the fat fuck and to stay there. He entered the party, which was spilling out on to the beach from a stage that had been set up in the street that was blocked off. Some local boy had won a surfing contest and everyone was going crazy. It didn’t take long for David to find Connor, he was over by the bar next to four young girls with very small skirts on. Too young. David smiled, this one would be fun and just what he needed to relieve some stress and put his plan for Star in action. He looked for his partner but he couldn’t find him so David went around the back of the bar over to where Conner was standing and lit a joint behind him. One of the girls spotted David and stumbled over. David wasn’t in the mood and his look towards her said just that but she didn’t pick up on it.

‘Pot!!!’ She screamed and pulled on her friend in the process. Conner turned around and looked directly at David and strode over to him with an arrogant attitude.

‘Ahh... Give me that.’ He held out his hand to David.

‘No.’ He answered bluntly and resumed smoking it.

‘Listen here, you little punk…’ The cop was incredulous at David’s blatant insubordination and began to pull out his handcuffs.

‘We’ve got more important things to talk about than me smoking a spliff.’ David responded. ‘Star is my girlfriend.’ The cop’s face dropped a little.

‘You’re coming with me.’ He answered quickly.

‘No I’m not. I’ll speak to you out here, away from everyone.’ David guided him away from the crowd and around a small beach head that was dark and as soon as he was there, David turned and jumped him. He snapped both his collar bone and his humerus when he grabbed him but he kept him alive and relatively quiet although the loud speaker system helped his cause too, and he took him to where he’d left Star.


	12. Finishing Up - Star's POV

Star stared out the window on the way across town as she struggled to stay awake. The water of the beach was clear and flat and sparking with the beautiful summer sun and as she squinted with the bright light, everything began to crash in on her. David, Michael, Campbell, Melissa... so much had happened in the past week and she felt she was losing control. She hated David. She could feel herself loving him again but she hated him. She longed to be alone running on her treadmill, she could centre herself and clear her head if she could run. She wished she was one of the bodies bobbing in the water, carefree and far away from all of this.

‘So, where do we find this boyfriend of yours?’ She was pulled out of her daydream and was unprepared for the question.

‘Sorry?’ She asked, buying herself time.

‘Where’s your fuck buddy?’ Came the response from the passenger seat. She glared at the back of his head and wondered what it would feel like to slam his head into the dashboard breaking his nose and ripping his head back to drain him of his life essence. The thought both pleased her and disgusted her at the same time.

‘I don’t know.’ She dismissed the question but they wouldn’t let it lie.

‘Where does he work?’ Fuck, fuck, fuck... She gave them the name of the bar near where the hotel David took her to. Another lie. She was going to have to get the hell out of dodge whether David liked it or not. And not just Santa Monica, she was going to have to leave the state at this rate. Maybe the country. She hoped her car hadn’t been towed and anticipated being able to call the AA to come and fix it from the station. Yawning, she lay her head back on the seat and resumed staring out the window.

_She was walking down the winding broken staircase down into the Cave and as she entered, the light of a fire lit the inside with an eerie glow. As she looked towards the fire she saw David’s sitting with his back to her, his spiked hair, flipped collar and his barbed wire earring silhouetted in the flickering flames. It was then she noticed the smell of rotting meat invading her senses and she looked around to find corpses in varying stages of decomposition, all over the walls, on her old bed and scattered around the floor._

_‘David?’ As she spoke his name, a deep guttural growl emanated from back inside the cave, from where the boys used to sleep. The noise made her jump and David turned to look at her and laughed. He was happy. She knew then, the growl was for her and whatever it was, it did not like her being there._

She heard the car door crack open and she could hear blood rushing through veins close to her ear. She was hungry.

‘Get up!’ She was shoved in the rib harshly and opened her eyes to find she was in the basement of the Police Station, the dream very fresh in her mind. She was allowed to make her phone call, which she made to the AA, then was taken to a room and questioned at length about her new ‘boyfriend’, her last movements with both Campbell and Melissa and her motives in leaving Santa Monica. She managed to placate them to an extent but they really weren’t that satisfied. From what she could summarise, they had very little in actual evidence; David was always careful but he must have upped his game in the DNA age. They only had Melissa’s body to perform an autopsy on as they’d only found parts of Campbell and they couldn’t tie her to either of their causes of death. Well... not yet. They insisted she not go anywhere and she was to tell her ‘boyfriend’ that they were very interested in talking with him. Before the interview was even finished, she was firmly set on leaving as soon as she left the station regardless of what they said to her. She had lived anonymously before, she could do it again. She did have the protection of her boys back then though and she thought of David and realised she could have it again now. That’s what he wanted, but did she? The way she felt now, yes, but she knew his blood was making her want things she knew she didn’t want. Right now she just wanted to leave, it was his fault she was in this place and dealing with this shit.

It was 5pm when she walked out of the big blue doors and she hoped her car was ready. It was going to be light for another two hours at least and she wondered how far she could get in that time but Star found herself unable to leave, whatever he’d done to her had worked well because she was being drawn to him. She went to the AA and got her car and while getting in it she heard him say ‘Come back to me’ clearly inside her head. He was obviously awake. She was tired and hungry and she knew going back to him would mean she could feed off him and feel better but she hated herself for wanting to go to him, for needing to go to him. Tears welled up in her eyes at her understanding that she was right back where she was before Michael; dependent on David.

‘Star…’ His voice echoed through her again and she answered him. She turned the car in the direction of her house and wiped away the tears as she drove. David would be angry with her if he saw her crying.

She arrived 45 minutes later and walked into her room to find him sitting on the end of her bed smoking a joint, which he immediately offered to her. It wasn’t what she wanted but she took it anyways, she learned long ago that he was more accommodating when he was stoned. She sucked in the smoke and coughed it back out, it had been years since she had smoked pot. She watched him watch her and laugh at her and she took another drag and handed it back to him.

‘That’s not what you want, is it girl?’ She felt the pot taking over her brain and she went a little numb. Looking at him she got lost in those eyes of his and she walked towards him and pressed her lips against his hard. Pulling away, she had surprised both him and herself with her action. ‘Oh… Is that what you want?’ She went red at his insinuation and looked away as he smirked at her, desperate not to let that happen again. What was wrong with her?

‘I think we should leave.’ She picked up a bag and began to pack some of her stuff.

‘Here…’ She ignored him in her anxiousness not to get close to him again.

‘I really think the sooner we get out of Santa Monica, the better.’ She didn’t want to look at him again. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. God, was she that far gone already? She just wanted to leave.

‘Star...’ His voice made her stop and she had no choice but to look at him. He held her gaze for a few moments too long, at least for her liking and she fought to look away. She then looked down at his outstretched arm and saw the blood pulsing out of a split vein in his forearm. She dropped her bag unable to take her eyes off it. She dropped to her knees hypnotized by the red streak sliding down his arm and he stood closer to her and she took hold of his arm placing the wound in her mouth. Her mind was spinning and the pot mixed with his blood was almost too much for her and before she knew it, David was pushing her off him and pulling her to her feet. She looked at him, and saw a sort of pained look on his face which she didn’t understand. She was pulled towards him and he kissed her, licking all the blood from around her mouth and when their lips parted, her head began to clear and she felt she could stand up straight again. She felt embarrassed and angry with herself for being such a pushover. ‘You’re right about one thing. We are outta here.’ She looked at him like he’d spoken another language. ‘You’ve obviously got your car, yes?’ He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

‘Ahhh… yeah, but you’ve got your bike? You hate being in a car.’ She answered, regaining her composure.

‘Yeah… well, the pigs know my bike and it sounds like they wanna chat so they’re gonna be lookin for it.’

‘Right…’ She thought about them wanting to question him and it dawned on her that she was stuck with him now. No escape, no exit. She was riding with the Devil again. Well, driving with him.

‘We’re going in your car.’ He said getting up and putting his boots on. She grabbed a small selection more of her stuff that she could fit in her car and looked around her little house one more time before David grabbed her by the hand and pulled her outside. She was not expecting to return. David got into her car and roughly threw it into reverse, she was nervous as he seemed annoyed and she didn’t know why. She was quiet as he drove the 20 minutes south and pulled in down a side street by a walk way through to the end of the beach. He parked the car and looked at her, his eyes surveying her features finally resting on her necklace. He smiled his half smile and leaned in towards her and picked it up. He looked it over and looked back up into her eyes and she became uncomfortable and lowered her lashes praying he wouldn’t kiss her, then she felt the pendant drop back onto her chest. ‘Come on.’ He said, and she exited the car without looking at him. She followed him down to a small alcove at the end of the beach, before a break of rocks which led around to the next bay. He told her to stay there and that he would be back shortly.


	13. Going Back - David's POV

David dumped Conner crudely down in front of Star, scaring the shit out of her. She went white and stared disbelieving what he’d returned with.

‘Do it.’ He was impatient and annoyed that she hadn’t instantly jumped him and equally annoyed he had to tell her. He was just annoyed with everything at the moment which made him a dangerous man to be around. ‘You have to do it now Star.’ He gave her all of 20 seconds before he nicked Conner’s jugular to expedite the situation. The thick paint like substance overflowed out and down his neck and she sunk to her knees and David came closer behind her and pressed his legs into her back, urging her forward. He pressured her both physically and mentally and she wavered, crouching above the spring gushing blood that had been created. She took it and swallowed deeply again and again. The surge of utter satisfaction he felt was over whelming. He was overcome, it was like an orgasm and he laughed at the sensation. He felt complete, they would return to Santa Carla together fully turned and just as he thought it, he heard her struggling. She was struggling and choking and she broke from him before she’d killed him. ‘Finish it!’ He demanded, his elation falling as he watched her stagger around on her hands and knees away from the body while Conner still moved and made gurgling sounds. She had to kill him! ‘Now! Kill him! He ordered urgently. ‘NOW!!’ He was fucked off and when he was ignored, he lost it. Rage enveloped him and he exploded. He would show her what he could do to her, to anyone should they defy him. He screamed at her and tore at the body of the cop until there were only pieces of him left. He stared hard at her breathing heavily, full of violence, then he took those pieces and dropped them out to sea.

Upon returning, he found her hunched up on the sand crying. This made him even more aggravated with her and he grabbed her hard enough that if he wanted to, he could snap her scapula.

‘BITCH!!!’ He was ropeable and dragged her back to the car nearly ready to finish her himself. He hated her opposition to him and he knew he couldn’t be pushed any further. In the current mindset he was in, even he knew it wasn’t a good idea for him to drive so she was going to have to. It wasn’t a good idea that he be in a car in general but he had no choice right now. He shoved her towards the driver’s seat and barked at her to drive north, towards San Francisco while he got in the passenger side. He was fuming, he should just kill her; she was fucking useless. He slid his chair right back and placed his feet up on the dash staring out at the lights of Santa Monica going by. She was right, he HATED being in a car. He felt like a tiger trapped in a cage and he was not in the mood to be caged with her right now. He was seriously questioning what he was doing with her now, he was out of patience and rapidly running out of tolerance for her. The cop must have been a little drunk, or a lot drunk if David could feel the effects of it. He felt warm and flushed and a little light headed which wasn’t a usual sensation for him. It wasn’t a bad thing for him either him being in the feral mood he was in and he began to chill out and relax a bit over the next hour or so and his thoughts wandered all over the place. From Star to his plan for a new bike to Santa Carla and the odd feeling he couldn’t shake every time he thought of going there. They were nearly past LA and had a six hour long drive ahead of them making it about 3am when they arrive. The Boardwalk would be closing and he didn’t really know where else he wanted to go initially and that meant he’d have to find shelter as soon as they arrived and Santa Carla was still a fairly dead town. He had some stuff at an abandoned house he’d stayed in post the antlers incident and he wondered if that was still there. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to return to the Cave back then, as he didn’t want to be confronted with the body of his brother but now he wanted to return to the cave, in fact the urge to go back there was huge. He didn’t just want to go there, he needed to go there and the closer he got, the stronger the feeling was becoming.

Star opened her window a bit and her blonde hair blew over her shoulder in the wind. It was then, with mild amusement, he noticed it. He adjusted his position and looked over at her and she drove exactly like he did, not only did she drive fast with quick manoeuvres and next to no patience but in the way she physically positioned herself behind the wheel. Her feet and legs were in a similar position only her knees closer together and she placed her hands on the steering wheel in the same peculiar way he did. Her left hand on the bottom of the wheel, resting on her knee and her fingers resting on the rim and her other arm stretched out over the top of the wheel, her wrist hooked over the top and her hand hanging down. Her head lay back against the head rest and her lashes were lowered over her warm auburn eyes with her dark lips parted. His eyes followed every curve, every muscle as she drove and despite how frustrated he was with her, he still found himself drawn to her, wanting to protect her and own her. It was a done deal, one he’d made with her a long time ago and one she seems to have forgotten. She was his, always was and always will be. She was still his own personal drug... A thought flashed through his head of Star’s insecurities and her thoughts of why she was even with him and why he wanted her. He dominated her thoughts with a reminder of her place in his pecking order, that she belonged with him, to which she shot him a glance of annoyance. He smiled, it reminded him of the old days with her in the Cave. The Cave... He suddenly thought of what he suspected might be waiting for him again.

‘Where are we going?’ She asked, reading his thoughts now.

‘You know where we’re going. Santa Carla.’ She spun her head towards him and he picked up on her fear and anxiety instantly and it interested him.

‘Why?’ He heard the panic in her voice.

‘I’ve got... a few things... to sort out’ he managed, totally consumed with the odd feeling he was again experiencing along with the fear exuding from her. Something or someone was waiting for them there. He felt no fear, just a strong pull back there and she was feeling threatened and real fear.

‘Like fuck I am going back there! I don’t have anything...’ Her panic over flowed but he didn’t want to hear it right now.

‘I don’t give a fuck! You are coming with me.’ She went to pull over and he threw her a look of ice and daggers. As much as this feisty Star was as hot as Hell, her stroppiness was a pain in the ass. He saw some flashing red and blues on the side of the road and turned to her, ‘Get off up here and pull in to San Jose’. She did as she was told and pulling into a dark car park he told her to stop and to get out.

‘What are we doing?’ She sat there and stared at him defiantly.

‘We are getting a new car.’

‘What?! No! I am not leaving my car! What about my stuff?’ She replied stubbornly.

‘Star, the pigs are looking for your car. How long before they realise we are gone, Conner is dead and your car is their only lead? Leave your stuff, you can get more.’ He pushed his point on her and got out of the car, hearing her reluctantly do the same a few minutes later. He broke into a brand new BMW and had the thing started before she had even made it to the car. He closed the door and waited for her to get in. They were late, so he kicked up the coast doing close to 90 all the way. As soon as he got to Santa Carla, he would score a bike, no more of this car bullshit, not for her either. He’d know where she was then, unless she turned. Then he wouldn’t need to know where she was. Fuck, why wouldn’t she just do it? Everyone else did. Even Laddie would have. That was his next avenue, Laddie, he wouldn’t be too hard to track down again. This would be her last chance.


	14. Going Back - Star's POV

Star stood in the warm early evening breeze and looked out at the ocean, she could hear a party going on down the beach but despite the large gathering, she was largely alone down her end of the beach. A lady was finishing her walk with a large Dalmatian and there was a guy surfing way out that she could see. She felt like she was 17 again, before she learned his ugly secret and became part of it when she used to wait for him down on the beach, in sweet ignorant bliss, for this mysterious man to pick her up and take her away. She longed for that ignorance again, finding herself waiting once again for him, only this time she was invaded by a horrible foreboding at what she was actually waiting for. The longer she waited, the worse the feeling became and she could feel herself becoming a bit distressed, the prevailing thought being that David was going to make her kill tonight. She felt sustained by David’s blood and she really didn’t want to kill anyone and her hands began to shake with the magnitude of what he expected of her. She jumped about three feet in the air when David and a body dropped out of the black sky in front of her and she stared at the body lying on the sand and tried to ascertain whether it was alive or dead. She saw him move and noticed the Police bars on the sleeve of his shirt. Oh Fuck, David had a cop. He wanted her to kill a cop, was he crazy? She was shocked until she saw who it was, it was Officer Conner. It kind of made sense to her now, but regardless of who it was, she was not going to kill them.

‘Do it.’ David demanded and she looked up at him for the first time then and saw he was in full vampire mode and deadly serious. She flinched a little, seeing him like this always made her uneasy. She felt cold and scared. ‘You have to do it now Star.’ Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked back at the body groaning in pain before her and she got down on her knees and reached out to Officer Conner. He reminded her of an animal, and at the moment the term ‘pig’ actually suited him with the way he was in the foetal position and squealing. David leaned over her and sliced open the cop’s jugular to get the blood flowing and she watched his nail cut through the skin and when the blood began pulsing out, she found it mesmerizing. She felt David standing close behind her and she could smell the fresh blood and in turn began to taste it in the back of her mouth. She couldn’t help it, it was all too much for her to take and she began to drink. She could feel David’s excitement and hear him laughing but it was drowned out by her own exhilaration of the experience and the sound of Conner’s heartbeat. It seemed to get louder with every swallow. With every minute that passed it grew louder still. Louder and louder. So loud she couldn’t stand it and she broke away. ‘Finish it!’ He insisted, as she was on her hands and knees next to the writhing Conner. ‘Now!! Kill him!!’ David sounded anxious but she didn’t care. ‘NOW!!!’ He growled at her demanding she finish the job but she moved away from them, refusing to look at him and she began to cry. She could feel how angry he was with her and he screamed at her as he morphed into the true monster that lived within him and ripped apart the body in a fit of absolute rage just feet away from her. She could hear him panting and feel his gaze burning a hole in the side of her head but she couldn’t look at him, she wouldn’t look at him and meet that look. He then dumped him, well... what was left of him, out to sea. She lay on the cold sand crying and feeling disgusted with herself for what she had just done. She felt she was betraying the promises she’d made to herself with her compliance of doing whatever he wanted. She had focussed for years on how not to be like this but she was under his spell again and right now, sitting on this beach wiping blood off her face, she felt hopeless. She could feel his anger towards her before he’d returned and once he did, he grabbed her hard on the shoulders, consumed with hate, and screamed bitch at her. He pulled her up and forced her to go back to the car with him. She stopped crying and became despondent, going along with whatever he wanted as she knew when to antagonize and when to leave well enough alone and she had pushed him enough tonight. He made her drive and simply told her to head north towards San Francisco and an alert went off in her head but in her frame of mind, she ignored it. What was she going to do? He was enraged with her and quite frankly, she was lucky to be still breathing so she kept quiet and kept driving. About two and a half hours passed and the moon was now a bright torch in the sky, a super moon surrounded by dark clouds. The infusion of Conner’s blood was warm and made her feel a bit tipsy and she rolled her window down a bit but she couldn’t get the human blood out of her head, the thick red gushing into her mouth and down her throat, and the deafening sound of his heartbeat. She wondered if it was like that every time. She subconsciously wiped at the blood on her face, even though she had washed it off with a bottle of water in her car as soon as she had got back to it but she could still feel it there. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him adjust his seating position and look at her and she began to think about David and what he really wanted long term. Was he going to create a new family? Was he going to be another Max? She thought of Dwayne, Paul and Marko and how they were the perfect family for David, not for her, but they suited David down to the ground. They worked like a finely tuned team, each had their own function which enhanced their cohesiveness and effectiveness as a group. She tried to imagine where she fit into his plans, why she was still here with him.

‘You’re mine. That’s all that matters.’ He answered her thoughts and she glared at him sideways, she hated when he did that. The dream suddenly returned to her, the deep seeded growling in the cave meant for her, David there... She instantly realised where she was. Where were they going? She watched the road and drove for a few more miles trying to figure out where they were exactly and trying to ignore his eyes being fixed upon her.

‘Where are we going?’ She asked, trying to distract him and stop the heavy gaze.

‘You know where we’re going. Santa Carla.’ He said bluntly. She flicked her head towards him and just about drove off the road.

‘Why?’ She managed to get the words out as she slowed the car but continued driving, an uncomfortable knot developing in her chest. She didn’t want to go back to Santa Carla, anywhere but Santa Carla. that was like going back to hell for her. But then when she thought about it, Santa Carla wasn’t hell, it was that she was living with Demons when she was there and she was now back with one of them. She felt sick.

‘I got... a few things... to sort out’ he said, a bit staggered.

‘Like fuck I am going back there! I don’t have anything...’ she blurted out to him but he shot her down.

‘I don’t give a fuck! You are coming with me.’ She went to pull over and looked at him and he looked at her like he was no one to fuck with right now so she dropped it. They passed some cops and he turned to her and told her to pull over in a carpark in San Jose. He told her to get out but she sat there.

‘What are we doing?’

‘We are getting a new car.’

‘What?! No! I am not leaving my car! What about my stuff?’ She was indignant.

‘Star, the pigs are looking for your car. How long before they realise we are gone, Conner is dead and your car is their only lead? Leave your stuff, you can get more.’ He got out of the car and she sat there disgusted again that he was right. She got out and followed him to a 2013 dark blue BMW and within 60 seconds and he was in and had it started. She got in the passenger side this time as he remained in the driver’s seat. She figured that they were about a good three hours away from the old sleepy little town and the thought of returning to Santa Carla made her queasy. David knew that place inside and out and she knew there was nowhere to hide there and far too many bad memories. She had come to the conclusion she needed help and, ironically enough, the only people she knew that could possibly help her were in the same place she felt the most vulnerable and fearful. At least that’s where she thought they may still be. This felt like her descent into a new nightmare.


	15. Homecoming - David's POV

David was still annoyed as he sped up the coast towards Santa Carla. This was it, they had come full circle and now they were coming home and it was only fitting she would finally complete her transformation back in the same place it all started. She had no choice, if she defied him this time, he would bring Laddie back to her and tear him apart in front of her, then he would kill her. He’d had enough now. They drove in silence for an hour and he was intently aware of her thoughts flowing in and around about him and their relationship and he found her questioning what she was doing there and what if anything she could do about it and eventually if it was her fate to be with him. That one made him laugh considering what she had coming to her and he looked over at her in the mirror.

‘That’s right. You are meant to be with me. Just like me.’ He answered her as he continued up the winding road and back onto the main highway that entered Santa Carla. As soon as he crossed over into his old territory, it hit him like a tonne of bricks, the feeling was over whelming and he knew he had to find the source. He wondered if Star was feeling it too, it was so dense, she had to be feeling it. It was so strong, he was feeling a bit sick so he decided he needed to get high and chill a bit. He headed towards the old house to see if what he’d stashed there was still there. Pulling into the drive, it was obvious the place was in the process of complete demolition and he was slightly gutted that they weren’t going to be able to stay there and they would have to stay somewhere else. He parked and told her to stay in the car then he walked through the broken walls and up the stairs. The feeling washed over him again and his search for his shit became more intensified. He walked into the bedroom, which was still largely intact, and he went into the closet off the en suite. Behind a loose board, there was a large bag of weed, a pack of cigarettes and $250 in a money clip he’d ‘found’ one night. Stashing them in his jacket pocket, he glanced up at the darkening sky through the open roof just as the moon was drowned by a dark cloud, he needed somewhere to take Star and to sleep and time was running short. He headed down the stairs and decided they would go to a motel tonight and go to the Cave tomorrow night. He got in the car and told her his plan and he wheel spun the car in the dust as he left. He began thinking about what he was expecting to find tomorrow, what was calling and pulling him back there and he suddenly got butterflies in his stomach. He would go back to his old home and he would feed tomorrow... Ugh. He decided he would not allow her to feed, she was on her own now and the thought made his frustration return. Bitch, she just needed to do as she was told!

David drove to the one motel he knew they wouldn’t be bothered and parked down the back. He jolted the door and the lock broke and he walked in. He watched Star walk in and scan the room before announcing she was going for a shower.

‘Can I come?’ He caught her off guard and he was pushing for a reaction out of her again. In the mood he was in he was enjoying her discomfort. ‘I’m kidding’ he left her to it and chucked some music on while she turned on the water. He took his jacket off and sat on the bed to take his boots off and pull out the contents of his jacket pocket. He tapped out a cigarette and lit it then while smoking he looked over the pot approvingly and proceeded to break it and roll it up. Questions of why he was even continuing to bother with her plagued his brain. He could have whoever he wanted, and have that person worship him, yet here he was wasting time with Star again. The very same bitch who cheated on him and left him taking his whole existence, as he knew it with her. She should be a bloodless mass of meat by now and yet she was showering in the next room. Why did he hold on to her so tight? He always had but now, why did he want her now, after everything? Fucking bitch never should have fucked everything up. David would have changed everything if Star had of killed Michael, then none of this shit would have happened. He was back to blaming her and wanting her to pay. He took his shirt off and lay back on the head board feeling more and more over it. Hearing the shower turn off he sparked the joint he’d rolled and handed it out to her as she walked through the door. ‘Take it.’ It didn’t take long for her to obey him and they shared the smoke for a few wordless minutes. Out of his peripheral vision he saw her sit on the end of the bed and, even though the pot was taking effect, he felt like he’d come to the end of his tether. He wondered if it was being here in Santa Carla that was making it worse, the odd feeling that was still lingering was more prevalent here too. He finally looked at her and caught her close her eyes in her smashed state and David became predatory, she was weak to the hunt and he saw his chance. He quickly turned and for a second hesitated his attack when she reopened her eyes and looked directly at him. Her wet hair was curling over her shoulders and the ends were dripping all down her arms and onto her singlet. Her hair framed her face beautifully and he began to falter. He looked back into her eyes, her soft golden brown eyes and he saw a flash of confusion dissolve into vulnerability tinged with fear. He felt a surge of utter control and power over her and his stomach tensed as a rush washed over his body. She was still so beautiful, and as he looked at her he saw the old Star, his Star before him and he stopped. This time it was him that folded, he reacted without conscious thought and returned to his normal state and kissed her. He grabbed her throat to keep her there then held her waist and slid his hand from her throat to the back of her neck and pulled her closer to him, kissing her harder. Without warning she broke away and began to fight him. ‘You know you want to Star, why do you fight me? Eventually you will capitulate to me, just let it happen. It’s what you wanted when you first met me.’ He paused, watching the words take effect, knowing that they had reached her and she was paying close attention to him. He was bombarding her thoughts with memories of the way they were together in the beginning and it was affecting him too.

‘I was young. I didn’t know what I was getting into with you.’ That was partially true but as soon as he met her, he’d planned to keep her, to turn her and to make her his muse.

‘I told you that once you were mine, it would be forever. You would never be anyone else’s. It was Alice and the rabbit hole Star, and there was no going back. I wasn’t kidding.’ He pulled her on top of him and her body relaxed into him, their limbs linked fitting like a glove. He stroked the back of her neck and as she stared into his eyes, he spoke to her soul. She was completely his again and he took full advantage. If he couldn’t make her do his bidding mentally, he would have her physically.


	16. Homecoming - Star's POV

David had picked a stunning piece of automotive machinery to finish the drive in and for that she was grateful but despite how luxurious the vehicle, she was gutted he had managed to take her car, and her independence, away from her. She had grown to love her car, it gave her freedom, more freedom than what she had over the previous 30 years and him stripping her of that privilege solidified her desire to get help to get away again. Although she had the body of an athlete, it made no difference, she was never going to be as strong as him and she realised she needed to play smarter. She knew he was still attracted to her, which kind of perplexed her as before his ‘demise’, he really wasn’t paying too much attention to her at all, but she thought while he was hot for it, she could use that to further her cause. Besides, she was only using it in the same way women have been using it for a millennia before her. The only danger was even though it was against her every thought and will power, she was suspecting her body would again betray her and react like a lover to his touch and she feared she could end up tied tighter to him than ever before. She couldn’t work out if that was her attraction to him or his influence on her but her body melted beneath him all the same. She realised he was returning things back to the way they were before Michael. Was this the way they were meant to be? Was this her fate? Was she meant to be the monster’s mate? She threw that thought out of her head, she wasn’t going to accept that. Star heard him laugh and she looked over at him.

‘That’s right. You are meant to be with me. Just like me.’ Oh God, he was reading her thoughts again. He was in her head and she had to watch what she thought even! He needed a hobby so he wasn’t so focused on her but somehow that thought gave her chills too. They drove into the old seaside town she had lived in for so long and she noticed how much had changed, yet as they continued down towards the Boardwalk, everything was still the same. They had added rides and a large atrium, and some shops, like the comic book store, had gone but there were still the old favourite haunts and the feel about the place was still there. Even with the place closed and from the car, she could feel it. David drove to the abandoned house and she wasn’t surprised to find it in the initial stages of demolition. He parked the car and told her to wait there. She stared at the broken building and laughed to herself. David would sleep anywhere but then again he never slept on the floor. She wondered where he was going to make her sleep for the day. She surveyed the back seat and decided she could fit but then there was the sun and she highly doubted that he was going to let her sleep anywhere out of his sight let alone in a car. It was 3:30am already and she knew they didn’t have a lot of time. He had only been gone about ten minutes but within that time the air had become quite thick and heavy for her and, again, she felt a bit queasy. He returned and told her they were going to a motel for the day and she was relieved.

He drove into the old Motel on Carroll court yard and parked around the back near a playground down the bottom of the property, around some bushes and David proceeded to break into the room closest to the car. The place was notoriously neglected and the owners had never been very good at maintaining or servicing the place, in fact, they were never there which had always made her question how they afforded to live but as she looked around at the room, it was small and relatively clean and somewhere she could shower and sleep. She noted there was one queen sized bed and the butterflies returned to her stomach. Without looking at him, she told him she was going for a shower.

‘Can I come?’ He asked with a dark look on his face. She stopped and looked at him and he smirked at her expression. ‘I’m kidding.’ He said turning away and putting some music on. The shower made her feel nice and fresh and clean and relaxed. No longer a monster, covered in blood, well, at least she could pretend that she wasn’t. She washed her hair and spent a good forty minutes in there until reluctantly she got out. Upon turning the water off, the sound was replaced with rain steadily falling on the roof and the light beat of whatever David had put on. She shivered and wrapped a towel around her and exited the bathroom to find him lying back on the bed with boots off, no shirt on and just sparking up a large very pungent spliff. She tried to walk past him to her clothing but he held out the burning ember in front of her and blocked her path. ‘Take it.’ It was more of a demand than an offer. She looked at it, considered it for about 5 seconds and then she wisely took it. She could see he was still in a feral mood and right now she would do just about anything to keep the peace, anything except kill someone apparently. She picked up her singlet and slipped it over her towel, then retied the towel around her waist. After a few silent minutes of inhaling the surprisingly smooth smoke, she thought she could see him calm and she could feel herself really start to relax. She leaned on her side on the end of the left hand side of the bed while he remained where he was on the right, staring into space. The pot was strong, stronger than she’d expected and she was smashed, the trip hop he’d put on was sucking her brain out and she closed her eyes. She opened her eyes again to find a fully turned vampire staring back at her leaning towards her. She was confused and felt a pang of fear mixed with hopelessness as the realisation of her inability to actually do anything in her current state hit her. She looked back at him in trepidation over what he was going to do but she didn’t move. The tension was back between them only it was thicker and she felt a slight panic rising in her thinking he was actually going hurt her now. Suddenly his eyes softened and watered back to blue and he grabbed her and kissed her but feeling his hand wrap around her throat, she stiffened to his touch and her heart stopped. She was sure he was going to kill her now. She briefly wondered if she really cared anymore but he then slid his hand around the back of her neck, and grabbing her by the waist with the other hand, he pulled her up to him and deeper into the kiss. She began to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. ‘You know you want to Star, why do you fight me? Eventually you will capitulate to me, just let it happen.’ She stopped resisting and looked into his eyes. ‘It’s what you wanted when you first met me.’ She hated it when he spoke the truth to her. Her truth. She had wanted to be with him when they’d met. She was enamoured with him and wanted to be just like him and his band of merry men, they were unlike anyone she had ever met and the way David looked at her made ache to be with him and to her horror, she was finding he could still have that effect on her. She tried to dismiss it from her thoughts.

‘I was young. I didn’t know what I was getting into with you.’

‘I told you that once you were mine, it would be forever. You would never be anyone else’s. It was Alice and the rabbit hole Star, and there was no going back. I wasn’t kidding.’ He was making her remember how she had felt for him, how much she wanted him and he was testing her loyalty now. She could feel him hard up against her and her tell-tale body was saying things her mind wasn’t letting her admit. She released her resistance; she was still fiercely attracted to him only she was desperate for him not to see. She felt his fingers stroke the back of her neck and she rolled her eyes closed. She was spinning. She was so stoned and weak to his charms and those eyes, those blue pools reflecting her deepest desires were irresistible. He knew her so intimately, she was putty in his hands and once again, she buckled under her primal lust for him. He fell into his daily coma almost instantly afterwards but it took a good hour for him to release his hold of her. Although the daylight hours were fast approaching and having an effect on her, the hunger was having a stronger one and she managed to stay awake. It was constant. She turned and looked at him, peaceful, pale and almost innocent in sleep. She was on the verge of feeling guilty for all she had caused him and she almost felt sorry for him, then the blood lust burned again and she couldn’t help but be reminded of the Devil that lived within him. That same Devil now dwelled inside her and it needed feeding. She thought of Michael, Campbell and Melissa and Laddie and the hate for him rose again. She rolled back over and sleep overcame her.


	17. The Boardwalk - David's POV

_David was standing in the centre of the cave and Star was standing behind her curtains watching him. A man was behind her touching her breasts and rubbing his hands up and down her body while he slobbered all over her neck and shoulder. She was expressionless and then it seemed like she focused in on something and her face filled with fear. He felt a familiar presence behind him and looked around to find the source but only found nothing until he heard Star crying. He spun around to see her looking at the ground. He moved closer to see the body of the man that was behind her was now on the floor with his rib cage cracked open and his lungs pulled out._

David sensed movement around him before he had really even woken up and his arms reactively tightened around her.

‘Where are you going?’ He asked before he’d opened his eyes.

‘I need a drink.’ Came her response and he released her, soon hearing her turn on the tap and fill a glass of water. He opened his eyes and saw the deepest dark orange of the sunset peeking through the cracks in the curtains. Star quickly disappeared into the bathroom and she was showering again. He figured by the time he was clean, the sun would be totally gone and they could leave. He got up and entered the bathroom only to be met with her bolting out of the shower looking pale and avoiding his eyes. He let her past and took her place under the running water. He found he enjoyed being in there and he felt he could actually think about what he was doing here and formulate his plan for tonight, they would ditch the car and he would go back to the Cave, back to where he thought was the source of him returning was emanating from. Acknowledging the thought gave him that strange restless feeling again and suddenly the desire to go out and hunt overcame him. He hadn’t felt like this in years; he was back on his turf, with his girl by his side and he had the urge to go and mark his territory. It was time to go blend with the Saturday night crowd and absorb the life around them and he got excited, his animal instincts to kicking in at the prospect of walking the path of his old haunt. He got out of the shower and found she had left the room so he got dressed and ready to leave in a hurry. He came out to the car to find Star weakly leaning on the car genuinely looking a bit ill and he was glad. She needed a feed and he would find a kill and consume it in front of her, making her desire for it all the stronger. No more supplementing her, making her truly appreciate how much she wanted it and then he would find a bike and they would head up to the Bluff. As he walked out towards her, he heard a party going on in the main house of the Motel and he smiled, that was going to make their desertion easy.

‘Get in.’ He got in the driver’s seat and started it up, this was a car he actually enjoyed driving but it still wasn’t his bike. He really wanted another bike.

‘Where are we going?’ A soft voice came from the passenger seat. He glanced sideways at her for a minute, she still looked pale, she quickly responded. ‘David, I don’t want to...’ She tried to deny him but it was too late. They were off to dance a dance they had done many times before on these grounds and, although he was missing his boys and their influence, he knew they would still be effective with just the two of them. He felt an adrenalin rush as they pulled into the far end of the Boardwalk parking lot. As David exited the car, he walked over and handed some derelict the keys and fired a sarcastic ‘Happy Birthday’ at him. He continued to walk away towards the lights and the bass guitar and soon became aware Star wasn’t beside him and he turned to see her staring at the shrinking tail lights of the BMW and he grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him across the parking lot. Heading past the Big Dipper, they slowed their pace to soak up the atmosphere and human energy surrounding them. David became distracted with the choice of bodies walking past him, all their eyes glancing at him, albeit briefly, he was noticed all the same but as distracted as he was, he was still conscious of Star and the same eyes upon her too. His senses were alive and he found the popcorn and hot dogs and wafts of perfume clouded the fresh blood he could pick up. They walked down towards the loud band playing to where the most people were, this was where their play took shape and his hunt began. He didn’t need her to help him find his prey, but she always provided a nice allure within which he could blend in to the crowd semi unnoticed. They split and the dance began. He stood on the top balcony overlooking the mass of rocking, writhing bodies while she made her way through the crowd below. David knew where she was but he wasn’t focused on her, he was looking for a target he knew she would finish, although he wasn’t overly confident she was going to complete the task, a smaller and weaker being would die faster. And if she didn’t complete, she wouldn’t feed, no more providing for her because then eventually she would have to on her own and if she again refused, she would get so desperate, he would make her kill one so sacred to her to punish her for her insubordination. He watched Star for a minute and she appeared to have relaxed a bit which allowed him to observe the ones which he felt were suitable. Maybe one that would willingly disappear? It was always easier when they wanted to leave with him, but that was an unsatisfying hunt for him, he wanted to stalk and to hunt his prey and much like a tiger he wanted to fight and play with his food. He enjoyed inviting them back to the cave to flirt with them, entice them, intimidate them and ultimately kill them. But then again, there was something quite loud to be said about the simple see prey, hunt prey, kill prey method too. That was the only way Dwayne would feed and Marko had a tendency to do the same but he revelled in watching David do it his way. Paul, however, would be entertained to have them sit insecurely in front of him. David suddenly had an over bearing sensation bombarding him. It was so strong he knew whatever it was was close by and it was hauntingly familiar yet it still put David on edge. It was more like a vibration he could feel, similar to his connection with Star. He looked back at her too see if she was being affected by it too, only to see her disappear in such a way that only a vampire could deliver.


	18. The Boardwalk - Star's POV

She awoke once again locked in the grip of last night’s lover and immediately regretted the incident, she had to get away from him and she moved to escape but his hold tightened.

‘Where are you going?’ His voice surprised her, she didn’t know he was awake.

‘I need a drink’ He released her and she got up and drank a glass of water, again feeling a bit sick. She bolted to the bathroom and was anxious for another shower to get him off her, she really felt like vomiting. After what felt like about five minutes in the shower, which was more like fifteen minutes, she was aware of the door handle turning and she became panic stricken, desperate not to be vulnerable to him again. She already felt so weak around him and she hated herself for it, she could not let this happen again. Another wave of sickness washed over her and she got out of the shower, grabbed a towel and rushed past the intruder of her space and went to the window, she needed air. She angrily got dressed, her self-esteem and confidence plummeting, and she knew it was because of him, because that’s what David does. He dominates and owns and uses for which he sees fit, and what he can’t own or what is no longer of need, he destroys. All those talks to herself while training, about how she would never allow a man to make her compromise her promises to herself and when that one man returns, the one person who she made the promises for the first place, she folds. Her hate for him burned like a forest fire inside her solar plexus and on top of it she still had this horrible feeling about being in this fucking town... She had no Michael, no Knight in Shining Armour to come and save her, she was all alone with the Beast and left to fend for herself or die and this time he wasn’t going to go easy. Then just as she put her shoes on, it hit her and she bolted outside and threw up behind the bushes, bile scorching her throat as she retched. She hadn’t eaten actual food in days and that had to be having an effect, but this was a sickness she didn’t know, an anxious, nervous horrible sickness. She swore that she would never come back to Santa Carla, and yet here she was with him. She staggered back around and leaned against the car door and tried to compose herself. She heard David come out sooner than she expected and she looked up at him and back at the ground. He told her to get in the car and he got in to drive. Her desire to leave, on top of her sick feeling, was over whelming her and she was struggling, she suspected she needed blood again too. Things were not looking good for her right now. She asked where they were going and she received a look from him, a look she hadn’t seen in years and it was a look she knew all too well. He wanted to go to play, to tease and to ultimately kill.

‘David, I don’t want to...’ She stopped as his face changed, she knew there was no fighting him with this one and she just didn’t have it in her tonight. His eyes were sparkling pools of blue ice, enticing anyone who dared to look into them and being back in Santa Carla, she knew they were headed to their old hunting grounds and acknowledging that was making her gut go crazy.

It was past 10pm when they parked the car outside the Boardwalk. She deliberated on getting out of the car and running and screaming, she thought about just not getting out at all, but it was all just procrastination really, she knew she had to go with him. She got out of the car just in time to see David give the keys to some homeless guy and she froze. The guy was shocked and within minutes he was gone, along with the beautiful BMW and her chances of any reliable transportation away from here. She knew it was going to have to go eventually because it was stolen but she wasn’t quite finished with it yet and she was watching the tail lights get smaller and smaller before they disappeared around the corner. She didn’t care about his plans, she wanted out but she was stuck being forced to repeat her past. She felt his hand around her upper arm and he guided her along with him until she was keeping pace and he let her go. She could begin to feel the energy of the Boardwalk as they got closer and the sounds grew louder and suddenly she perked up and found she wanted to be there, she wanted to get lost in the people and absorb the lively atmosphere. There were young and old and parents with kids and they were all here and to her pleasant surprise, she loved it already. This was exactly what she needed, there were more people here than she remembered being but it was essentially the same and she began to lose herself in the melting pot of people she had just walked into. Walking down towards the bass throbbing out of huge speakers, Star diverged away from David and went off on her own and she became acutely aware of her momentary freedom. Her eyes searched the crowds, not really for anyone specific, except maybe the ones that she was secretly hoping to find that might help her, but she wasn’t expecting to find them here tonight.

She knew David was tracking her but he was distracted so she relaxed slightly and began to enjoy herself. A guy danced and spun her around as he walked past and upon turning back around her anxious sick feeling returned with a vengeance, nearly knocking her off her feet. She began scowering the crowd for wherever the feeling was coming from or maybe someone she knew but she only found strangers. She looked up at David and saw the same pained look on his face and she needed to talk to him, maybe he knew what it was. She headed towards the stairs when her path became blocked and she looked up directly into another pair of eyes she never thought she would look into again and, before she could even react, she was gone.


	19. It's You - David's POV

David took off in the direction of where the creature had headed with Star, he could clearly hear it flying and by the looks of it, this thing was taking her back towards the Cave. His Cave. He was confused, David and his boys were the only ones who knew... His thought trail stopped dead. The pull back here, the strong familiar feeling haunting him, this thing’s knowledge of the Cave... This was one of his boys. But it couldn’t be, they were dead… Weren’t they? He got a massive surge of adrenaline through his veins and he sped up. David followed the creature into the cave and instantly there was the intense smell of fresh blood and Star cried out. David flew directly towards whoever this was and king hit him from the side and Star fell to the ground, blood pouring out of the large gash across her breastbone. David got his first glimpse of his foe and it was his turn to look at him in disbelief.

It was Marko.

Without thinking, David’s went to Star and picked her up and ‘fixed’ her. In one swift move, he had her in one arm and his other wrist in her mouth ten feet up in the empty cavern and once he knew she had fed, he dropped her in her old sleeping quarters, landing just in front of her, ready for the next attack. Marko looked both shocked and disgusted.

‘She should be DEAD!!!’ Roared Marko

‘So should you. I was sure you had expired. How did you...?’ David took a quick glance around and the place looked more or less the same. ‘Have you been here the whole time?’ Marko was visibly shaken by David’s voice, he thought he would never hear his leaders tone again, let alone lay eyes on him.

‘They missed my heart. I passed out from blood loss and awoke four days later. I was weak as fuck but was able to feed again,’ he replied distracted by the conversation, ‘and when no one returned, I knew something had gone wrong and something had happened to you too. Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back? Where are Paul and Dwayne?!’ His eyes shifted over to Star, who had stopped bleeding already and was standing behind David staring in horror at him. ‘It’s her fault! Fucking WHORE!!’ Marko was geared up for a fight and he appeared intent on completing his mission tonight but David was not going to let him just dispose of her without his say so. Even after everything, if she was going to die, it would be by his hand but right now, he still felt the need to protect her. He found himself questioning himself again on his seemingly unwavering need to have her in his possession, even to the extent of him putting her above his brother. A brother he thought had perished at the hands of her ‘boyfriend’s’ friends with her being the ultimate reason for his demise. Even though she deserved the punishment Marko was so willing to dish out, and it was what he himself had come back to do, he still felt she was worthy of his protection right now. She was going to be punished, but he would deliver it.

‘It is not! I didn’t know they were going to do that!’ Star answered him. Marko stared death back at her and David intercepted his second attempt at revenge. As David contained the situation, he began to see the potential of his family returning and he filled with confidence. Well, as long as he could placate Marko and stop him from wanting to kill his girlfriend they would be ok but judging by the fight he was currently putting up, he was quite ready to defend his point of view.

‘She should be stinking rotting flesh!’ He broke away and bellowed at his brother.

‘I know, I got it sorted.’ David vainly attempted to calm Marko but with little effect.

‘WHAT THE FUCK DAVID?! After what she did, the slut should be suffering!’ He turned back to Star, ‘BITCH! I’m going to KILL YOU!!’

‘I had no idea that was going to happen! Michael just came and got me!’ Star spat back. David had the slightest reaction hearing her say Michael’s name, and suddenly this was a conversation he didn’t want to be having. He was now annoyed and it was ruining his reunion with his long lost brother. Despite Marko’s rage, David could see the relief in his eyes that his loneliness was over, and David was just as delighted to find one of his few kindred spirits alive. Only there was no way Marko was going to trust Star, not that he ever did in the first place.

‘Fuck up! It was you! It was your fault! You knew the plan, you probably made the plan! You fucked it all up. Literally. And you are going to pay!’ David grabbed Marko again and told him once more that he had Star sorted and he would deal to her. It was then Marko stopped and recognised the half state of Star and her rising desperation for a proper feed. He glared at David and it sunk in. ‘You’re still in love with her. She did that to us and you still love her?! Fuck dude...’ Marko stormed over to the other side of the cave. He was disgusted at David and David could feel it then, without warning, David grabbed Marko and disappeared out of the Cave entrance with him.

David took Marko as fast and as high as he could and the flight together calmed him down. They hunted together and the release of the aggression they both held made them both feel better. In a way, it helped them re bond with each other. They dumped their kills and they sat on the beach and shared a smoke together and talked and laughed and remembered. David could see there was going to be plenty that they would need to work through, especially with Star back in the mix but he could also feel his and Marko’s connection was still there and it made him happy.

‘I need another bike.’ David mentioned casually as he reached for a post meal cigarette. Marko looked up at David, smashed on pot and blood and smiled. As much as he hated to admit it to himself considering his leader’s current mate, he really enjoyed being back in David’s company.

‘I think I need one too.’ He replied. The went off and found a couple of 2014 Triumph’s and, after taking care of the previous owners, they rode away on their shiny new machines. It wasn’t until they returned to the Bluff that David really thought of Star again and he instantly knew she’d fled and upon seeing the empty Cave and the necklace he’d given her in the dust on the check in desk of the hotel, he got a knot in his stomach. He smiled, he knew when he first saw her that she wasn’t going to make this easy but if it was a game she wanted, he was more than willing to oblige and now he had another player to add to the game, and this player was going to play to the death. She’d made her bed and now it was time she lay in it. No mercy. Marko saw the necklace and looked up at David, his eyes glinting as he raised his eyebrow and grinned as they both left.


	20. It's You - Star's POV

Ahead of her even readily comprehending what had happened, she was heading up the Coast at breakneck speeds through the air and, after what she’d just seen at the Boardwalk, she was terrified to look at what had her, but once she did, her terror became all too real. It was Marko. She instantly reacted and began to struggle and fight, she didn’t even care if she fell, anything would be better than being with this monster. She knew if she didn’t fight this one, she would definitely be dead. David had some sort of sick love for her but Marko did not and never had. In fact, he’d always had an intense dislike of her and the feeling had always been mutual. As they shot inside the entrance of her one time home, she felt a searing pain streak across her chest and she managed to claw at his face before she fell to the ground but she was picked up just as quick and had David’s wrist thrust into her mouth before being unceremoniously dropped in her former sleeping quarters. She lay there for a second still attempting to understand what was going on and once she’d recovered enough to think straight, she heard Marko screaming that she should be dead and she shot to her feet feeling the sticky mess down the front of her clothing. She stood behind David dreading any further retaliation but, in all reality, there was no way she could trust David either, although in this situation, he was her preferred barrier between her and the madness that was Marko.

‘So should you. I was sure you had expired. How did you...?’ David trailed off looking around. ‘Have you been here the whole time?’ David looked just as shocked as she felt.

‘They missed my heart. I passed out from blood loss and awoke four days later. I was weak as fuck but was able to feed again and when no one returned, I knew something had gone wrong and something had happened to you too. Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back? Where are Paul and Dwayne?!’ Marko’s eyes moved to her. ‘It’s all her fault! Fucking WHORE!!’ He spat with vengeance.

‘It is not! I didn’t know they were going to do that!’ She retorted and pretty much regretted it straight away with the attack aimed at her. David stepped in and for once she was grateful to be under David’s wing.

‘She should be stinking rotting flesh!’ Marko pulled away and demanded of David.

‘I know, I got it sorted.’ David’s comment alarmed Star and she stepped back away from both of them.

 _‘WHAT THE FUCK DAVID?!_ After what she did, the slut should be suffering!’ He looked back at her and she shrunk away, ‘BITCH! I’m going to KILL YOU!!’

He launched again and she backed right up and raised her hands in defense. ‘I had no idea that was going to happen! Michael just came and got me!’ The room went cold.

‘Fuck up! It was you! It was your fault! You knew the plan, you probably made the plan! You fucked it all up. Literally. And you are going to pay!’ Marko raged at her and David grabbed him and reassured him that he would deal to her and again, she mentally took note of the conversation despite her imminent fear. Marko stood back and looked at David, incredulous. ‘You’re still in love with her.’ He paused, letting the realization sink in. ‘She did that to us and you still love her?! Fuck dude...’ Marko charged away, his face stained with repulsion. She stood there looking from one to the other during their exchange feeling extremely nervous that she was outnumbered and terrified that David would side with Marko. Then as quickly as they had all appeared inside the Cave, the two men were gone, in a whirlwind of dust and leaves, they had disappeared and she was alone again. Brutally alone and scared. She looked around the dark cave and all of a sudden it became too much for her, it all bubbled over and she went into shock and she cried. Once she pulled herself together, she knew she needed to leave but where was she going to go? She could handle herself, that wasn’t the issue, the issue was that they would come after her and that’s where she needed help. There were only two people who she knew would be able to help her, she just wasn’t sure whether they would. Either way, this was her only opportunity to escape and she was going to take it. She felt a wave of sickness bowl over her again and yet again she was cursing the need to feed and tried to repress it. Walking past the large lobby desk she ran her fingers through the dust and stopped, she snapped the chain and pulled David’s necklace off and placed on the desk and left.


	21. The Escape - David's POV

David told Marko of the repercussions of Star’s actions and the thought of her being faced with that pleased him, but he still believed she should be dead already. She should be made to kill her beloved Laddie and then still die a painful, torturous death but Marko quickly fell back in line behind his leader though and went along with his wishes. David knew that for her to turn and be left to live their lifestyle was a punishment in itself but Marko struggled to work out for who. If she became one of them, as David had always wanted, Marko would have to put up with her and have to watch over her for David again. Marko really didn’t understand the appeal of the girl. Admittedly she was looking better than she used to but still he could see his leader’s infatuation for her hadn’t gone away despite her betrayal. He decided he would go along with David’s plan, anything to cause the bitch some pain, and then he’d finish her off regardless of what his leader wanted. David could and would do better. Marko doubted she would actually kill Laddie so that left it wide open for him to deal to her and still be on the right side of David. Marko wondered if he’d ever find a girl he would feel that strongly about.

After David had tracked and killed Michael, he had picked up Laddie’s trail quickly afterwards assuming Star was with Laddie, as she wasn’t with Michael. He had tracked Laddie to Huntington Beach so he knew exactly where to find him but once again, he had been surprised and more than a little annoyed to find Laddie was now living with his girlfriend and not Star. Laddie had always loved the beach and often asked Star or Dwayne to take him down there when he was young so it was no surprise to find him living in the old surfing town and since he had left the boys, he’d grown and become quite an accomplished wave rider. David had watched him for a few weeks to see if Star would show up to see him but she never did, which he found odd as their bond had been so strong. By the looks of it, Star had taken him back to his family and taken off and Laddie had tried to reintegrate himself back into his old life with varied success.

David and Marko arrived to find the beach quiet and his house dark and David easily broke into the light blue wooden batch and they found Laddie and his girlfriend asleep, apparently he was a true day walker now.

‘Get up.’ David nudged the bed with his knee making Laddie jolt. ‘Get up Laddie’ he repeated impatiently.

‘Who the fuck…?’ Laddie lifted his head and peered into the darkness, not understanding exactly who was there or the implications of their visit. He leaned over and flicked on the light and stared at a figure which he thought was from a dream, or a nightmare.

‘Get up. We’re leaving’ David announced to the shocked young man and he cocked his head waiting for some acknowledgement.

‘Oh my God…’ Laddie was having trouble believing what he was seeing.

‘Who’s that?’ Came a sleepy voice from next to Laddie.

‘It’s alright.’ Laddie tried to keep her calm, while trying to keep himself calm.

‘David, what are you doing here? You were… What do you want?’

‘I want you to get up.’ David was losing tolerance for the boy, he never had much to begin with for Laddie, and it was more of a demand than a request.

‘I’m not going anywhere.’ Laddie refused and Marko kicked over the lamp exploding the light bulb, making Laddie’s girlfriend scream. It was then Laddie saw Marko in the glow of the street lamp outside shining through the thin curtains and he knew they were serious. Laddie jumped up to protect both his girlfriend and himself and it was a bad move. ‘Get out!!’ He screamed. It was possibly the first, and only time Laddie had ever yelled at David and David grabbed him hard by the arm and pulled him downward.

‘Have you forgotten who you are dealing with?’ David asked in his quiet, very serious demeanour and Laddie’s heart sank. At the same time Marko grabbed Laddie’s girlfriend and held her while she whimpered. ‘Looks like you need some encouragement to come with us… Marko?’ Laddie turned to watch Marko smile at him and turn and launch straight into her throat, ripping big chunks out letting her limp body fall on the bed.

‘NOOOOO!!’ Laddie screamed at Marko but it was too late.

‘Quit over reacting. Now you have no reason to stay.’ David said pulling the shaken boy through the house and out the door. David was pleased to see Marko hadn’t lost any of his brutality in being alone, in fact it had intensified and it gave David the confidence he was missing not having his boys around him. David was a force without anyone else but with his brother back, he was unstoppable. There was no way Star would defy him now. No one would.


	22. The Escape - Star's POV

Star fled back towards the centre of town on foot. She suspected the boys had headed off to the Boardwalk to pick off a few of the dregs leaving the Saturday night party, so she steered clear of there and headed more inland. Every noise she heard made her jump because she knew that this was it, if David caught up with her this time, she was sure there was no way she would survive. Especially with Marko back on the scene, she felt David would be quite happy to sit back and watch her be torn apart by his brother. The game was truly on now, the monsters she feared were very real and she was the enemy. She was anxious but tried to overpower the feeling with her determination to be free of them again. She did it once, she could do it again. Although she had no phone or watch, she estimated the time to be about 12am judging by the moon, another trick taught to her long ago by David. Being unsure about where they were and when they would return had always made her nervous but right now it was making her downright nauseated. She heard the snap of some branches behind her and jumped again and began to run. She cursed him for not letting her take her stuff out of her car with her, her favourite Nike’s were in there, she was wearing her old Nike runners but right now she wanted her new ones. There were still clouds lingering from last night but the air was nice and cool and she quickly found her stride, although it wasn’t her treadmill, she never liked running on the road but this time she had no choice. The bigger the distance between her and the Cave, the better she felt and her thoughts began to flow. She tried not to think of David but when she did, she felt he had blocked her as to not be able to sense where he was which told her he knew she was gone. Her initial surge of independence was waning and being all alone on this coastal road was making her question the intelligence around her decision. Maybe she should have just stayed there and hoped David would protect her from Marko. But she couldn’t kill someone and that was the only way she was going to continue breathing. No, she was right in her decision to leave, there was no other option but was she going to just keep running? Spend the rest of her life hiding from them? Eventually they would give up, surely they would, but then she would be left with the insatiable hunger from the beast within. The Beast he had implanted within her soul that would eat her alive if she didn’t feed it. Her situation seemed hopeless, she couldn’t believe she’d been sucked in by David not once, but twice in her life and she had even allowed him to consume her power and sleep with her, to infuse her yet again with his poison. She hated the fact she was still attracted to him and that he used that weakness to get what he wanted, he’d always done that to her, he did it to everyone to get what he wanted. She needed help and began to think of who would potentially help her, of who would believe her? I mean, seriously? Vampires? Yeah, sure. With the vampire pop culture out there in movies, half the teenage girls out there wanted to be in her place. Well, they could have it. She began to feel very pitiful and weak but actively disbanded her train of thought and focussed on getting her strength back. She knew she was more tenacious than this, she’d worked too hard on herself to be so. Both body and mind had been transformed to cope with this and she had decided no more. She planned that once she reached town, she would get out of this district of Hell and head north and she’d keep going until she reached Canada if she had to. David had never liked the cold and that suited her nicely and the faster she disappeared the better. She heard a logging truck coming up behind her and she ran out to the side of the road and successfully hitched a ride.

She sat in the passenger side and politely made niceties. He asked her about the blood on her shirt and she made up a blood nose story which he bought but she realised she was going to have to clean herself up if she wanted to remain anonymous. It wasn’t long before she was deep in her own thoughts again with the soft sound of some music going on in the truck, the driver seemed to be OK with the silence which worked for her and she thought of the ways she could keep herself safe and protect herself now she’d had a very real reminder of how vicious these monsters were going to be. Maybe she’d get a dog when she reached Canada, maybe she’d get a dog now, that had dealt to Paul quite effectively and no man was going to be able to protect her from them, no matter how big and burley he was. Doubt began to creep in again but she had to keep going, she had made the choice and now she’d have to live with it and this time she couldn’t blame Michael, this was her doing. She got a waft of the driver’s blood and her stomach churned reminding her again of the need for human fulfilment that stalked her. She knew the only way that the feeling would be abated would be for David to die and that’s when she knew she had to find them, she had to get help from those who knew what she said was truth and who were experienced in the demise of demons. She only prayed they were still in Santa Carla. She thanked the truck driver and parted ways with him at the San Francisco Northern Line Truck depot with her stomach growling. She still had the $700 she’d got from her work in her pocket and she hadn’t eaten any actual food in nearly two days so she went into the depot diner hoping that some normal sustenance would make her feel a bit better. She walked into the small brightly lit room and straight to the bathroom to clean herself up as best she could then she went to a table in the far corner near the window. If they had tracked her already, she didn’t think they would come in here and cause a scene, they’d stand out like sore thumbs. But she did feel more comfortable being able to see who pulled up and entered the place all the same. She ordered a bowl of fries and a coke from the waitress and sat quietly in her booth and the food arrived quickly. She tried to eat a few fries to settle her stomach to no avail, they actually made her feel worse, but the fizzy from the coke was nice so she stuck with that.

Continuing to sip her coke she observed the patrons in the room, there were a man and a lady a couple of booths away from her talking quietly to each other, at the counter was a man eating his burger and reading the paper and other than the two staff members, she couldn’t see anyone else in there. The waitress was scrolling through her phone and the tattooed chef was plating up a grilled cheese sandwich through the pass in the kitchen. She looked up at the shiny white clock reading 1.50am and decided she should go and asked for the check, only to be told by the waitress that her food had been paid for by the younger man down the other side of the diner. She was confused and slightly concerned as she hadn’t seen anyone else and was unnerved as to who it was until she saw him. She hadn’t even noticed him yet his smile seemed kind so she returned a half smile, mouthed the words ‘thank you’ and got up to leave. He got up just as quick and approached her.

‘Not so hungry?’ His neat short back and sides and warm brown eyes made him look like he was from the 50’s.

‘No, not really. Thank you for paying for them though.’

‘You’re welcome. I’m Matt.’ He offered.

‘Hi Matt, I’m Star’

‘Star?’ He opened the door for her. ‘That’s pretty.’

‘Thank you’ she walked out and looked around a bit nervously.

‘It’s late, I’ll walk you to your car. Where is it?’ He went to accompany her but she hesitated.

‘Ahh… I don’t have one.’ She sighed. She hated saying those words and hated David for putting her in this position again. He turned to face her.

‘Well, where are you going at 2am Star?’

‘I’m heading North.’ She said quietly.

‘At, 2am? Who are you running from?’ She looked up at him quickly.

‘Where are you going at 2am Matt?’ She shot back, a little more forceful than she intended.

‘I’m going to drop in to a friend’s party, would you like to come with me?’ She looked at him smiling at her again and she softened.

‘No Thank you, I can’t. I have to get going…’

‘You can leave in the morning. Come with me for a while and I will take you up near the Red Wood Forest. I’m headed there tomorrow.’ She looked at him unsure. ‘Trust me, I’m not going to hurt you.’ His words echoed in her head. They were the same ones David had used the first time he told her to get on his bike. Technically he hadn’t hurt her, he’d never actually hurt her but in another way he’d destroyed her. ‘Come on, you’re coming with me.’ He said confidently as if it was a done deal and guided her towards his old done up Camaro. He smiled a cheeky grin at her as they walked and she smiled back and agreed, although the way he’d just taken control reminded her of the way David had done the same thing with her in the beginning. He’d just decided for her. He also reminded her of Campbell though, he had a harmless charm about him which made her sad yet happy at the same time. She conceded that going with Matt would make tracking her harder as long as she could block her thoughts to David but right now she dared not even think his name and climbed into the car. He would know she would be heading north but there was a multitude of places north of Santa Carla that she could be going to.

She estimated his age at about 26 and he seemed to have his head screwed on. They made small talk during the short drive and she wondered what he must have been thinking about meeting this strange girl in the middle of the night. Probably that she was a prostitute, but that wouldn’t be the first time she’d been mistaken for one. She was sure David used that as a lure, but he would never expect her to go through with anything, he would never allow it. She suddenly had a flashback of being outside the San Francisco Hilton and what David had done to a man who had assumed her to be a hooker. The only reason she got away with it with Michael was because David was tied up under Max’s control and although they’d parted before Michael’s death, she still missed him. She owed so much to him in helping her to free herself from the boys and she didn’t have that help anymore and she so desperately needed it now. Before they’d reached their destination, the same dense sick feeling from the Boardwalk was back and getting stronger by the second and she began to panic. They pulled into the drive of a property where a large house party was going on with many people milling around the front lawn. They got out of the car and Matt was immediately greeted by two men and he was happy to introduce Star as his friend. She smiled and said hello but with the reason behind the intense feeling last time being what it was, she was highly reluctant to enter the house. Could they have known she was coming here before she even knew where she was going? That was crazy but this feeling wasn’t leaving her alone. She was sure she’d left them back in Santa Carla yet she was anxious, so anxious she nearly turned and fled and it must have shown on her face as Matt asked her if she was OK.

‘I’m just feeling a little sick.’ She tried to dismiss it.

‘Come inside and we’ll get you a drink’ He pulled her inside the house, into the kitchen and proceeded to pour her a shot of Absolute. She politely declined despite knowing exactly what he had poured for her and asked for a glass of water.

‘You sure?’ He asked holding to shot glass out to her. She nodded her head and he downed the clear liquid. ‘OK… wait, I know…’ She said before quickly ducking out the back and returning with a ready rolled joint. ‘How about this?’ He asked smiling. It took her a nano second to agree, anything to make this feeling dissipate, and they lit it right there and then. They shared the smoke with another couple of people and it dulled the feeling she was experiencing quite considerably and made her relax, it must have been a strong strain and for that she was grateful. As she got more stoned, she began to assume that the feeling was just a residue feeling from seeing Marko as well as David in the same room and the anger from Marko towards her. But she was wrong, and it wasn’t until she walked out the back of the property did she really understand how wrong she was.


	23. True Reunion - David's POV

The boys left the house with a very distraught Laddie in tow, David had zeroed in on Star easily, she had never been good at blocking him, and with him being her sire again it was easier than ever for him to find her. They headed up towards San Francisco on their new bikes, Laddie riding with Marko, and David couldn't wait to confront her with his new acquisition. She had forced his hand, not appreciating the ace he had up his sleeve. Maybe she thought he was kidding but she should have known better, he had the bitch right where he wanted her. The closer they got to San Francisco, the more David felt that same thick smothering feeling again, like he was breathing through a cloud of dust. He assumed that because it was there before Marko appeared, that it could only be another creature of the night. He knew there must be others out there, but it was extremely rare that he ever saw another vampire that they'd almost become a legend that Max used to speak of.

They parked their bikes just after entering town, it was getting close to daylight and David really wanted to find her before then. She could cover many miles in twelve hours but unless he found her within the next three or so hours, they would have no choice but to find shelter. Laddie had become like a walking zombie, saying nothing and blindly following the two men, unaware of the fate awaiting him. Marko was visibly feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere too and expressed as much to David, confirming that he had felt it before he'd deliberately bumped into Star on the Boardwalk. Marko didn't even know David was there at the time, all he saw was what he thought to be Star and he saw his chance for some payback for the chaos she'd brought upon him and his brothers. It seemed that both David and Marko wanted to exact the same revenge on the same girl for the same reason only David had now gained his reason for her to remain with him and Marko didn't agree or accept it. David was sure that once she'd turned and succumbed to him, she would embrace it and be more like she was in the beginning. He had her coming around before Marko had interrupted but David didn't blame him, how could he? Marko had suffered at the hands of her ‘friends.’ But David now had a member of his family back and he wanted one more. He couldn't care less about Laddie, but he never had so there was no real difference there. After a cigarette, David figured Star would be looking for somewhere to stay for the day and he needed to too. Mounting their bikes again, they made a slow trip into town which took them past a street where they both just about fell off their bikes they felt the smothering feeling so strongly. They both shot each other a look and u turned back down the street to find where the source of the overwhelming feeling was emanating from. All they could see was a house party at the end of the street and, riding towards the house, the pull to go inside was intense, too intense to ignore. They had to find an invite in to investigate the cause because something or someone was in there. The boys entered the house without too much of a problem, there was a dude out the front who was inviting everyone in and there was about eighty people on or around the property and no one was keeping tabs on who was coming or going. David was particularly interested in the participants of the party and took his time in going through the house scanning each face for some recognition of what he was sure was there. The air was heavy for both of them as they moved through the kitchen and into the hallway, Marko checked all the rooms for some sign of what he was feeling but there was none. For all intents and purposes, this was just a normal rental property occupied by twenty somethings and David was perplexed. He assumed it must be out the back. The boys made their way through the living room and Laddie headed outside to get himself a drink, he needed it, and in doing so walked straight into Dwayne’s shoulder. Neither man was prepared for the other and it took them both a minute to register who they were looking at. Both had changed since their last meeting yet almost instantly the recognition was there and Laddie’s face dropped, remembering Dwayne’s body in pieces in that house. Dwayne instantly smiled and relaxed.

‘Kid!’ He spoke to the boy he used to know so well and grabbed him and hugged him. ‘Fuck, I thought that was her, what are you doing here?!’ Laddie was confused, did David and Marko bring him here to see Dwayne? He turned his head to look at David while still being held by Dwayne, only to see David motionless, staring at Dwayne like he was a ghost. Marko was behind him, much the same but he quickly came over with a huge smile on his face and greeted his brother.

‘Dwayne?’ David said taken a back. ‘I know I saw you dead at that house…’ he hesitated, struggling to remember what Max had said about this. Something about if they hadn’t been buried on hallowed ground? If they were here, did that mean Max had survived? David knew despite what the movies told you, vampires were notoriously hard to kill, they were called the undead for a reason after all. Regardless of anything, here he was standing in front of him. Dwayne turned and called out Paul’s name and David just about fell over. Paul was here too?! Paul came bouncing in and yelled upon seeing the boys with a huge grin on his face. It finally sunk in, this was real and David felt a massive rise in exhilaration, this is what he had been waiting for, for years! The four greeted each other and it was like nothing had changed. They were complete. Paul led them outside to where there was a table with a mountain of pot on it and he rolled the fattest joint he could and they went down the bottom of the back yard and lit it. Dwayne led Laddie with his arm over his shoulder.

‘You’re big now kid,’ he said shaking his hair. Laddie just looked from Dwayne, to Paul and back to Dwayne again.

‘Bet you never thought you’d see us again huh?’ Paul laughed.

‘How long did it take you?’ David asked after a large inhale and passing it to Marko. He was still blown away they were here, standing in front of him, especially with the state they were in the last time he’d seen them. They looked like nothing had happened to them. Paul and Dwayne looked at each other.

‘We don’t really know, maybe close to two years? Our bodies, well… his pieces and my bones must have been left near each other cause when I woke, he was right there. I felt like shit for ages after and it took heaps of feeding before I even felt close to normal. That’s why we ended up here, the death count was mounting in Santa Carla and we weren’t strong enough to go anywhere else. We figured you must have been killed for good as when we went back to that house to look for you we found it gone.’

‘Why didn’t you come back to the Cave?’ Marko asked, annoyed none of them had come back to check on him.

‘That was where you were and we figured with those fuckwits knowing where it was, that it wasn’t safe for us in the state we were.’ Paul was so excited to see them, he couldn’t stop talking.

‘How did you…?’ Dwayne asked Marko, after being passed the smoke.

‘They missed my heart. Left me bleeding, a lot, but that’s it.’

‘Yeah, no shit, I had you all through my hair and you ruined my favourite jacket!’ Paul dug at Marko. David sat quietly looking at each of his boys as they spoke. Dwayne passed the smoke to Laddie and even he toked on the blunt, more than a little stunned at what was occurring around him.

‘What about you David? Where have you been?’ David looked at Paul, over to Marko and back to Paul again.

‘They thought they’d killed me but I was impaled with antlers, not wood. Michael had knocked me out, not killed me. I awoke a few days after in the empty house and stayed in the old Manchester place to recover. But don’t worry, once I had, I tracked down Michael and tore that fucker apart.’ The boys laughed and cheered then in a quiet moment, a young man approached a group just away from the boys and asked if they knew where Star, the blonde girl he’d come with, was and they said no. David stopped and turned his head, staring at the young man talking about his property.

‘Who’s that?’ Marko asked but David continued to stare at the man walking back towards the house.

‘Is she blonde now? I thought I saw her before.’ David flicked his head back to Dwayne.

‘You saw her? Did she see you?’ David demanded, his tone changing.

‘Star’s here?’ Laddie perked up and spoke for the first time.

‘Yeah, I wasn’t sure it was her but I had a strange feeling. She went inside about ten mins before I ran into you guys. You’re not still hung up on her are you? Not after everything…’ Dwayne asked, looking at David and he saw David’s feelings still held fast for her. ‘I guess fate is fate.’ He said dragging on the joint again.

‘Fucking bitch should be a corpse after what she did.’ Marko spat. David went quiet and zoned in on her, speaking to her through her thoughts.

‘Found you. Where are you going? I have a surprise for you.’ He pushed the thought hard on her and laughed when he got the fear impression he wanted from her.

‘You two have bikes?’ He asked his long lost siblings.

‘Yeah, parked at the bar up the road.’ Paul proudly answered.

‘Time we suit up boys, we’re heading back down to Santa Carla.’

‘Where’s Star? David, what’s going on?’ Paul asked, sensing something was up but not really surprised David was hunting her. Payback had to be a bitch after what she’d done.

‘She just needs a reminder of where she belongs and that the past isn’t so easily forgotten.’ He replied getting up to leave.


	24. True Reunion - Star's POV

Walking outside, she found a whole other party going on out in the back yard with a mini bar all set up and the music pumping, but the insane atmosphere almost ripped her stomach apart and she regarded the garden carefully to isolate the source. Being as stoned as she was, was making her identification of who it was coming from harder and her fear was rising thinking Marko was going to pop out from the crowd. She searched for some familiarity with nothing apparent until she saw him. His hair was shorter and somewhat calmer but his laugh was the same and his reckless demeanour and playful attitude were unmistakable. He hadn't seen her yet, he was distracted smoking and drinking with some girls and she was having a massive amount of trouble reconciling this scene in her head as she knew he’d died, she'd heard the dog push him in the holy water and heard his screams. She thought she may have been hallucinating with the powerful pot she'd smoked so she tried close her eyes and centre herself and focus yet once she reopened them he was still there. He was the source of the thick feeling just as Marko had been only Paul’s was stronger. Her heart sank and she knew she had to leave as soon as possible before she'd been noticed. If he saw her, it was all over. Rather alarmed, she turned to tell Matt she was leaving when she became aware of someone watching her. Someone else familiar, someone of whom she knew his vibration. She comforted herself in the knowledge she looked vastly different with different clothing than how she used to look and dress, camouflaged almost, yet the eyes still examined her. She didn't want to look or acknowledge them but they persisted and reluctantly she met the gaze bearing down on her and looked directly into Dwayne's eyes from across the grass. Like Paul, the 80's hair was gone, it was still shoulder length but more styled, and he sat there with an inquisitive expression just watching her. She didn't know what to do, whether to smile, or run, or act like she hadn't noticed him and not react at all. She wondered if they could feel the feeling that was plaguing her and if they knew she was there or if it was just her, David showed no sign of feeling anything so she thought maybe it was just her. Paul certainly didn't seem to care but Dwayne's stare was constant and unwavering and told her otherwise. She had to go before she was confronted, so she turned to leave again and before she knew it, had to bolt to find a bathroom as she was going to puke. She quickly located the bathroom next to the laundry and vomited, bright red splashed all over the bowl but she wasn't surprised, blood was all she'd had in the past few days. She felt better getting it out of her and she hoped she was cleansing herself of David’s blood. She rapidly cleaned herself up and she carefully left the bathroom, looking down the hall for any sign of Paul or Dwayne, and she took her opportunity to leave out the side door while she was alone. The last thing she was expecting was to see them and the last thing she needed was two more vampires back in her life. Her past was crashing in on her and she wanted out. She left out the laundry side door and snuck down the side of the house, she'd become quite good at being stealth these days. The crew that were standing out the front were in many stages of drunkenness and she felt confident in walking past unnoticed.

Reaching the road, she saw two Triumph motorcycles parked out on the curb and she stopped, they must be Paul and Dwayne's, but they weren't there when she arrived, were they? No, they can't have been because she wouldn't have entered had she seen them. Not with the foreboding feeling being in San Francisco or knowing that David had plans to acquire a new machine, and looking at these bikes, they were right up his alley. Suddenly she had ice running through her veins, she had to leave and fast. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had to go back to Santa Carla. She needed help and needed to find the Frog brothers.


	25. Just Can't Stay Away - David's POV

The boys kicked it back down to Santa Carla at breakneck speed knowing the sunlight hours were fast approaching as they headed straight for the Cave. The dynamic between the four of them was very much the same, but different. The experience they had all been through had changed them yet made them stronger at the same time.

Marko was angrier and more openly brutal, he was the youngest of all the boys and had been a bit shy but now he was possibly the first to react and he was angry with Star for her betrayal, and more than a bit annoyed with David for the way he wanted to handle things with her, although he would still abide with his leaders wishes. Most of all he was angry that he’d been left alone for all that time.

Dwayne was possibly more introverted than he was before, the ordeal he’d been subjected to had been extremely painful as had the knowledge that there were actually beings out there that could inflict that upon him. Humans that wielded that sort of power over a vampire. He swore that no one would ever do that to him ever again and his level of trust for strangers was now zero, except for Paul and now David and Marko again. He wouldn’t even trust Laddie, it didn’t mean he didn’t like him or feel that companionship he’d had with the boy, but he’d grown and been made aware of what could happen to the likes of Dwayne and Dwayne didn’t like that. Dwayne and David picked up right where they’d left off, they all did really but especially Dwayne and David.

Paul was probably the most resilient of the group and seemed to bounce back as if nothing had happened. Dwayne wondered if it was because of the way he had been tortured but he still seemed to just want to forget it and move on. Admittedly, Paul was doing everything he could to remain in an extremely altered state of reality but he had been a stoner before this had happened so not much had changed. Paul and Dwayne were lucky they’d had each other after their ordeal whereas David and Marko had been left to suffer alone with nothing but revenge to keep them going.

The Cave looked very much like it did back when they had all dwelled there. There were a few houses that had been built on the pathway up to the Bluff but developers had pretty much left the area alone due to the unstable ground, especially after the ‘89 earthquake that had ripped through the Santa Carla hills right up to San Francisco and had proved very fortuitous for Marko. The walkway down from the cliff was even more dilapidated and broken which wasn’t a problem for the boys but kept most bored teenagers away and the ones who did venture down there, never came out again. The Morrison picture was still there and the pieces of broken hotel furnishings were still scattered around. Upon entering, they all split off to see what was still there of their stuff, even Laddie was interested to see his old bed but was saddened to see Star’s trinkets thrown around the floor and broken and her curtain ripped down, obviously Marko had taken out his initial aggression out on her belongings. Laddie had never blamed Star for splitting the family up, she was just doing what she thought was the right thing to do for both herself and the little boy she had taken charge of. He found his old teddy and picked it up, looking at it thoughtfully, and was flooded with recollections of his time with the boys. Memories he’d tried so hard to block out and he felt a crush of sadness that he’d once wanted to be one of them. He had looked up to Dwayne like an idolised big brother and would have done anything to be just like him. Then he thought of Star, who had been so kind to him and treated him like his mother did and had given up everything to save him from this nightmare. He looked over at David and Marko and felt a shiver run up his spine, he began to fear what they would do to her once they found her again, especially seeing what Marko had done to his girlfriend. Laddie had forgotten what these freaks were capable of and with the reminder of what they would do, he was scared for her.

Paul and Dwayne were stoked to be back, with every piece of Paul’s past he rediscovered, came a hoot and a holler for Dwayne to come a see, he was even excited to see his old stereo even though CD’s were in now, not tapes. Paul and Dwayne had become closer than they were before and Marko just sat on the ledge of the fire pit and watched them. Dwayne found one of his old jackets and his old skateboard which made him smile and they all made themselves at home again and Paul pulled out another joint from a very old bag of pot that had been left behind. He was surprised Marko hadn’t smoked it all and when he looked at Marko, the look of shock on his little brother’s face made him laugh.

David stood staring at the wheelchair he used to sit in and then the broken pieces of his bejewelled bottle. He looked over towards Star’s quarters and saw the blood stains on her bed and pulled out her necklace from his pocket, a surge of anger filling him. She owed him and she damn well knew it. Well, he had his boys back now and there was nothing that was ever going to stop them again, least of all her. They were stronger, he could feel it, and with the power between them David felt his confidence peak and his desire to accost her, complete with his pack was overwhelming. It was all or nothing now, bitch.

The sun rose and they dragged Laddie with them and trapped him in a cavern down the back near their sleeping quarters. He didn’t put up a fight as he knew there was no point, then they fell under their daily repose and being back together in their own territory helped them bond again. He had his boys back.


	26. Just Can't Stay Away - Star's POV

She knew her time was running out before daylight but after seeing Dwayne and being sure he’d seen her, she thought it was best to get out of town now and travel while they would be hiding out. She knew it wouldn’t be long before David and Marko caught wind of them, she hoped she was wrong but there was no way she had hidden her thoughts or vibration during that run in and if she could feel them the way she did, there was no way David would miss it. It was 4:30am and she managed to flag down a cab back down to the truck depot and in turn was offered a ride down to Santa Carla. This truckie was a bit chattier and wanted to know more about the girl heading down to the dead beat town of Santa Carla. He said someone like her should be heading to somewhere more lively like LA and she tended to agree as LA would be somewhere she could hide longer and blend in more but she told the driver she had to go find her ‘friends’ in Santa Carla. Within the hour she’d fallen asleep to the gentle rocking with every bump in the road, of the logging trucks front cab.

_Star was seated next to the fountain in the Cave with Marko standing adjacent to her on her left. Dwayne was sitting on a crate with a girl on his knee and Paul was on the couch, a girl on either side of him. The boys seemed happy, but the girls were not. The one with Dwayne was content but the girls next to Paul were there under duress and looked at Star nervously, hoping for some comfort. Star saw the fear in their eyes when Paul threw one of them in Marko’s direction and Marko caught her roughly by the arm and held her there while they both laughed. Star glanced at Dwayne and he just kept hold of his girl tight and he looked over at David walking in. David walked past Marko and over to Star, pulling her to her feet._

_‘Boys, it’s time.’_

_Dwayne led his girl out the back of the Cave, out of sight and within seconds her petrified screams were echoing out to the rest of them. David and Paul revelled in witnessing the other girls’ reactions and with that Marko ripped into his girl and was quickly covered in her blood. Paul however hesitated to feel the fear of his girl heighten before he did the same. Star’s eyes widened with what was happening around her._

_‘You’re the only one missing Star,’ David stepped behind her and put his mouth next to her ear ‘if you don’t, you will be next.’ He put his arms around her waist and his hands on her stomach. ‘And you got something to feed now.’_

The truckie shook her and she just about jumped out of her skin, her heart beating out of her chest. They were in Santa Carla and it was time to get out of the truck. It was a cloudy overcast day as she exited the cab and thanked the driver. It was close to 7am and although she was tired, she really didn’t want to go to sleep again after that dream. Of all the dreams she’d had since David was back, this one really disturbed her. She knew this was coming directly from David and his influence on her was increasing but why that dream? She knew she wasn’t pregnant… Well, she didn’t think she was. Was she? No, she couldn’t be. Although she did throw up at the motel, and the party… Oh God. Was that what David wanted?! She forcibly pushed that thought out of her head and put it down to him fucking with her mind because even the thought of her being pregnant made her situation worse.

She went to a 24hr internet café on the Boardwalk and began to search for the Frog Brothers but came up empty then she searched for Vampire Hunters and Demon Exterminators and again nothing and she gave up after her half hour session had ended and decided to go for a walk to try and plan her next move. She needed to use this time constructively, as she knew if she didn’t find them today, the boys would be on her tail tonight, David was definitely in her head and she was powerless to get him out. It began spitting as she walked which was refreshing to her, like it was cleansing her dream away and clearing her head. She passed the Missing Persons Board still plastered with pictures of people who had disappeared and she stopped and looked it over, it seemed the large amount of missing people still plagued Santa Carla. In the bottom right hand corner was an advert for assistance with the occult and it had a small picture of two frogs and a phone number. Two frogs. Frog brothers. She stared at it and it began to rain harder which made her want to find somewhere to stay for the day. She unpinned the advert and took it with her to find a motel to sleep in, preferably not the one she had stayed with David in.

She went to room 27 in the Abacus Motel about 2 blocks away from the Boardwalk and after closing all the curtains, she took out the advert and sat next to the phone, took a deep breath in and picked up the receiver.

‘Frog Brothers.’ The voice was short, maybe she’d rung too early.

‘Ahh... Hi, I’m looking to speak to someone about… a problem I have.’ She said nervously.

‘What’s your problem?’ The voice impatiently asked. She didn’t know what to say, she had struggled with how to justify what the boys were in her own head let alone tell someone else. She hadn’t even been able to tell Michael, David had shown him.

‘Ahhh…’ she stuttered, ‘Can I meet you somewhere?’

‘We’re busy today but I can meet you at about 5 or so? What’s this about?’ The intrigue was rising in his voice.

‘I’d rather tell you in person.’ She said quickly.

‘Ugh, alright. At Hewey’s on the Boardwalk. 5:30pm tonight. Don’t be late.’ He snapped and hung up the phone. She had butterflies about meeting him already and she lay on the bed praying this was actually the Frog brothers she was looking for, and if it wasn’t she prayed they could help her anyways. She lay back and quickly fell back into her slumber and slept dreamlessly for the first time in days.


	27. Reaching Out - David's POV

_David was walking in what looked like a clearing in a wooded area, surrounded by mist, the wind was blowing making the mist swirl around him and making it difficult to see too far ahead. As he walked further ahead a figure became apparent through the cloud. Long blonde hair flowing up in the wind a long white dress was all he could see, then the girl turned side on and he could see she was pregnant with a small baby bump._

_‘She’s pregnant.’ David heard the voice but was too focussed on the girl and trying to see her face. ‘But it won’t last, you know we can’t have children.’ The voice spoke again and he recognised it and spun around to see Max. He was struggling to take this all in and was flicking his gaze from Max to the girl when she turned to look at him and his suspicions were confirmed. It was Star and she stood in front of him smiling at him._

_‘Why not?’ He asked his leader as he stared back at Star._

_‘Because she will die.’ Just as he spoke the words, Star’s face changed and she looked sick, very sick and began to double over in pain. David glanced back to Max to see him walking away and he looked at Star to see her fully turned with her amber gold eyes glowing and she began slashing at her wrists making blood stream all over her white dress and she began screaming._

David woke up before the others with a jolt, the dream had shaken him and he went out to the entrance for a cigarette. He breathed in the salt air and looked out at the moon reflecting on the calm sea and felt relaxed being in his place with his crew again. He had a calm excitement inside of him contemplating the night ahead of him and he wondered what state Star was in. Her hunger must be tearing at her insides and he wondered if it had got to the point she was turning slightly feral.

‘What’s going on D?’ Dwayne appeared behind him, he’d snuck up so quietly even David hadn’t heard him being so deep in thought. It had been a while since he’d been around other vampires.

‘I came back to kill her. I tracked her for years before I found her. I found Michael first and when she wasn’t with him, I killed him and tracked Laddie. I was so angry. She picked up some of our techniques though cause I found it easier to track them than her,’ he stopped to take a drag on his cigarette ‘I was intent on ripping her aorta out and watching her die in front of me I was so pissed with her and then I saw her…’ He threw his butt out to sea and turned to Dwayne.

‘Oh man…’ Dwayne said knowing his leaders look.

‘I need to make her pay more than to simply kill her. She has one last chance to live the way that was determined for her and to realise her fate. I’ve turned her with my blood and the effect is stronger this time as she has feed off me more than once.’ Dwayne sat there listening. ‘She’s mine Dwayne, she always has been and this time she will turn because if she doesn’t, I will kill her myself. She will need a feed by now and I have the perfect candidate.’

Dwayne suddenly saw the reason for Laddie being here and he went to question David but with the conviction David had expressed himself, he relented and followed David back inside.

‘Come on boys, let’s eat.’ David prompted the boys to get their shoes and jackets on in preparation of leaving. Paul and Marko came out with Laddie and they got ready. They all needed to feed and the instinct to hunt was overpowering. David loved having his boys back and it wasn’t long before they had their targets and had them surrounded, slipping into their old roles and routine with ease, and they decimated the teenagers down on the alcove near the beach. Being the first time in years that they had attacked together, they took their time. They toyed and played with their prey and really had fun and made a mess of it and David made Laddie watch. The nervous energy they had, had solidified after their feed and their desire for the next game was insatiable. David felt her vibration near and knew it wouldn’t be hard to find her. He led the rest down to the Boardwalk where he blocked her from sensing any of them and they pulled up outside the entrance where they used to wait for her, when he saw her getting in a ute with a man and drive away. He felt a sting in his gut and he told the guys to follow him which they did. From a distance, they watched the car pull into The Saw Mill Bar parking lot and drive down the back near the woods. David told Dwayne to take Laddie back to the Bluff and the others parked their bikes well out of sight and found a spot to get a better look. Marko and Paul were amped for this and David felt the time was finally right to exact his revenge on her, after he found out what she was up to.


	28. Reaching Out - Star's POV

Star awoke feeling rested and happy she was hopefully going to have some help in her predicament. She got up to have a shower and immediately felt sick and again bolted to the bathroom in time to see blood being expelled out of her mouth. She sat on the bathroom floor, trying to catch her breath and searched her brain for a reasonable explanation for why this was happening to her while refusing to accept the dream she’d had as a reality. She was not going to accept that she could be pregnant. She just wouldn’t. She hadn’t eaten anything other than those chips at the diner and she was sure it was that. The thought of blood gushing into her mouth and Conner’s heartbeat came into her mind and he pushed it away, convincing herself a shower and a hot drink would make her feel better.

Once she was dressed, she left the motel and walked down to the small café on the corner, she’d been wearing the same clothing for three days now and she decided to go shopping after getting a hot tea, that would definitely make her feel better. In all honesty, getting out of Santa Carla would make her feel better… and her treadmill. She managed the tea quite well and went down to the Boardwalk to find a new wardrobe.

It had been raining all day and the ground was still wet but the early evening sky had cleared. She found herself looking at the type of clothing she used to wear and forcibly looked around for something else but found it difficult. It was like the old sea side town was stuck in 1987. She brought a plain white singlet, a black jacket and a long dark blue skirt and a bag to put her old stuff in. She found some short black boots too and as she looked in the mirror through the thin veil of a reflection she despaired a little seeing herself morphing into her old self, but looking around at the other items hanging on hangers it was either this or something short and tight. This would do for now and she would wash her own clothes later and change and get some more clothes after her meeting. Again she was gutted David had taken her autonomy away leaving her with nothing but then she was happy she was getting help.

It was already 5pm and she had to go find Hewey’s, it must be a new place as she didn’t remember it. Walking down the path her heart thumped in her chest and butterflies danced in her stomach and she suddenly wondered if they would be able to tell that she was a half again. If they would look at her dressed like this and see nothing but what she was before, maybe they wouldn’t even recognise her. She found Hewey’s on the other side of the pavilion and the place was nice, more up market than she was expecting yet it was a façade as upon entering, it was quite run down. She was greeted by the barman asking what she would like and she declined, said she was looking for someone and continued to walk past the bar. The Sunday crowd was slowly growing and she spotted a small balcony overlooking the ocean with a man sitting at a table down the end by himself. As soon as she saw him, she knew it was him. Edgar Frog.

‘Hi’ she stood in front of him afraid her heart was going to beat its way out of her chest. He looked up at her and did a double take, his eyes widening slightly. He recognised her, or at least he thought he did.

‘Do I know you?’ He asked looking her up and down without blinking.

‘It’s me Edgar, Star.’ She stood there uncomfortably not knowing whether he was going to ask her to sit down or to leave.

‘Holy shit, what do you want?’

‘I need your help.’ She said simply and she sat down at the table.

‘With what? Alan had a breakdown the last time we helped you out. Where’s Michael?’ He said looking around.

‘He’s not here.’ She said looking down. He narrowed his eyes and looked sideways at her.

‘Where is he?’

‘I don’t know, we split a couple of years ago.’ There was no point in telling him Michael had been killed, she was sure that would lower her chances of help right now. She was kind of surprised he didn’t know already being friends with Sam, maybe Sam and Edgar no longer spoke.

‘Well, what do you want from me then?’ he asked her, ‘We got rid of your demons.’

‘Ahhh… yeah. They’re back.’ She said looking out to sea. She wanted to jump off the balcony and drift out and never be seen again. She looked back at him to gauge his reaction to find him glaring at her a bit pale.

‘You wanna repeat that? We killed them.’ He managed to get out, beginning to disbelieve her.

‘David and the guys are back. David was pierced with antlers not wood and you guys missed Marko’s heart. I don’t know how Paul and Dwayne are back but I know they are because I saw them at a party in San Francisco. It won’t be long until they return here again.’ She said quietly, her confidence in him helping her rapidly fading. She felt like crying.

‘Where are they now?’ he asked, a seriousness creeping into his voice. He realised she wouldn’t be here telling him this as a joke.

‘I don’t know.’ She replied honestly. He went quiet and the silence was deafening between them. A waitress approached and asked him if he would like another drink and he said a shot of whiskey, she motioned to Star and she shook her head.

‘Wait, how are you even here?’ He burst out, suddenly thinking there was no way David would let her go after her being the catalyst last time.

‘I was living in Santa Monica when David appeared out of the blue telling me how I owed him for betraying him and for taking his family away. He killed my boyfriend and my best friend and bought me back here where we found Marko.’ She explained deliberately leaving out the bits about Michael and Conner and David feeding her. He looked at her carefully.

‘Have they done anything to you?’ She shook her head, more lying. She was going to go to hell, she was sure of it.

‘David and Marko left me at the Cave and I escaped, I just never thought in a million years I would end up at a party where Paul and Dwayne were.’

‘You escape and the first thing you do is go to a party?’ He sounded sceptical, there was a massive chance this was a set up for revenge against him and he was nervous as hell about it.

‘No, I planned to go as far north as possible and I had hitched a ride with a guy who said he would take me right up to Red Wood if I went to a party with him. I figured it would throw David off my tail if I disappeared for a few hours but once I saw them, I knew it wouldn’t be long before David and Marko found them and I knew I needed help.’ The waitress brought back the shot and he downed it and asked for another.

‘I need to tell Alan, he needs to be prepared for this one’ he more or less murmured the comment to himself, pulling out his phone and speed dialling.

‘We got a case…yeah, a major one. Meet me at The Saw Mill in 20.’ He hung up, downed the second shot and told her to go with him. Her instant reaction was panic, but she reasoned with herself that regardless of what he would do, she wouldn’t really be any worse off. He was either going to protect and help her, or kill her.


	29. Help? - David's POV

David, Paul and Marko watched the man get out of the car and greet the other man who had just arrived in the parking lot and before long it dawned on them that these were the guys who had tried to kill them. They flicked knowing looks at each other and Marko smiled as a whole new dynamic had entered the equation and had upped the stakes tenfold. The boys focus had intensified as had the animosity over what she was doing and they moved closer and watched Star get out of the car and ask for help, which made David’s stomach churn. She was asking them for help? There would be no more help for her. Just as the thought had passed through his mind, Alan attacked her and she slammed him in the face quite impressively making Paul react approvingly. He hadn’t seen this Star in action and even David couldn’t repress a smile over her actions but it was quickly replaced with the face of black death as the other man lifted his foot and booted her right in the stomach, hard. That was all the incentive that was needed to put the boys into action and they swooped upon the men, David crushed Alan and cracked all the bones in the right hand side of Alan’s ribs and his clavicle making Alan scream before ripping into his neck eliciting a fountain of blood to gush out of his dying body. Edgar screamed for his brother but it was too late and Marko enjoyed feeling the pain Edgar went through watching his brother die.

‘You, you mother fucker, you tried to kill me!’ Marko howled at the fear ridden Edgar as Marko and Paul cornered him against his car. ‘You’re fucking mine!!’

David saw Star trying to run and ordered Marko to grab her and after a look of disdain he did his leaders bidding returning her and in a rather unceremonious way, dropped her on the ground at David’s feet. Paul had grabbed Edgar for Marko but as he turned around to throw Edgar to Marko, he heard Star moan and he looked at her on the ground with blood flooding out of her. Marko stood with David watching her life leak away and a shocked Paul joined them momentarily forgetting about Edgar and Edgar took his God given opportunity and fled into the night.

‘Is she OK?’ Paul looked over at David and David looked like a statue, his face stoic looking at her on the ground. David took everything he was staring at in and didn’t move.

‘Is she dying?’ Marko asked optimistically but still David didn’t respond. This could be it, he could just let her die right here and do nothing at all. It wasn’t what he’d planned and fantasised about for years but it would all be over. She was, after all, trying to get help from the ones who had tried to kill him and his family. She was trying to replicate the ultimate betrayal again and have him killed. How could he love her now? He asked himself the question over and over again as he looked at her moaning and bleeding on the ground. How ironic would it be to leave her to die with the wound inflicted by the one who she had sought help from.

‘David?’ He looked down into her desperate eyes and for a brief moment his steel heart skipped a beat but he still didn’t move and continued to contemplate her worthiness of him making any kind of effort to save her. He became aware of the silence of Paul and Marko and he blinked and picked her up and took off with her. Both Paul and Marko watched him in dismay and then looked at each other, Marko understanding David’s plan for her but Paul was in a bit of shock over the whole thing and they both followed him shortly after.

David shot into the Cave and placed her on her bed, putting his final plan into place. Paul and Marko followed him in there soon after and Paul went over to see what was going on while Marko stood away ready to watch the drama unfold and Dwayne also stood on the other side of the room observing from afar with Laddie.

‘What’s wrong with her?’ Paul asked David but he didn’t answer him, just watched her with an intrigued look on his face, his mind spinning over what was happening and what he was going to do. Why was she still bleeding? The fact she was a half should have stemmed the bleeding by now, was it because she hadn’t fed for a while? But his blood was coursing through her veins and he didn’t understand. They had seen the kick she’d sustained but that wouldn’t be enough to cause the bleeding that was occurring, especially in a half vampire. She needed blood and she needed his by the look of her but he wasn’t going to oblige, she was going to have to turn to help herself before he helped her. There was so much blood still coming out of her and there was only one thing that he suspected, no, that he knew after that dream, that would be causing this. She was pregnant and she was losing it before his eyes but he really didn’t know how to feel about it. It shouldn’t change anything, he didn’t plan it and she couldn’t be far along but in a strange way, it did. Should he save her or should he leave her to die along with his unborn baby? Damn his love for her, he had so much hatred for her and desired to inflict so much pain on her yet when he saw her in pain from something other than him, he felt a compelling urge to protect her.

‘Dave, what’s going on?’ Paul repeated as David walked away to get a cigarette.

‘She’s pregnant, or she was. I think she’s losing it.’ He inhaled deeply after speaking. All the boys had a reaction to this and looked over at Star a little more concerned. Paul stupidly asked if it was David’s and David looked back at him and froze as it suddenly hit him. Was it his? He had only been with her twice since his return and that was only about 3 weeks ago. Could it have happened that quickly or was it that fucker Campbell’s? A flash of anger overcame him and he stormed back over to her and launched a verbal attack demanding to know if she’d fucked Campbell and being unsatisfied with her mumbling answer, he decided he had to make a move and he stuck to his plan. Pregnant or not, she had a punishment coming to her and it was now or never.

‘Dwayne, bring him over.’ She twitched at the sound but didn’t open her eyes, she was beginning to look like she was dying. Dwayne held Laddie by the upper arm and led him over to where David stood next to Star’s bed. ‘Star, wake up. I have a surprise for you. It will help you feel better.’

‘Star? What have you done to her?!’ Laddie stared down at Star wide eyed and struggling against Dwayne’s grip. Star was covered in blood, looking very pale and close to death and he looked over at David standing there with a disgusting smile on his face.

‘You asshole!’ Laddie spat at David but he stopped when he heard Star say his name.


	30. Help? - Star's POV

Edgar led Star out to his car and she instantly became apprehensive.

‘Where are we going?’ She asked not wanting to leave the crowd of people at the Boardwalk.

‘We’re going to meet Alan. Get in.’ He abruptly ordered her to accompany him into the car and she took a second to decide to get in. ‘Do you want help or not?’ She found she really didn’t have a choice and she got in. They drove towards the timber mill and parked down the back of the parking lot of the Saw Mill Bar, away from all the other cars. Being a Sunday there weren’t too many cars outside the bar and they waited for a while, Edgar looking suspiciously at every car that entered the parking area. The longer they waited, the more the silence grew and the more uncomfortable she felt, she began to think this was a bad idea when a white sedan pulled in to the parking lot and drove towards them. Edgar got out to greet Alan and the brothers hugged while Star stayed in the perceived safety of the car. They both still wore cargo gear with lots of pockets but Alan looked older and weary. She wondered how he was going to take this news if he had really had a nervous breakdown. They spoke briefly and both looked over at her, making her want to get out of the car so she tentatively exited and walked around the front of the ute.

‘Fuck, you weren’t kidding.’ Alan exclaimed, looking from Star to his brother while Star stood silently before them.

‘Tell him.’ Edgar told her but Star remained quiet sensing something wasn’t right. He turned and spoke to Alan, ‘They’re back man, and they are coming back here. Apparently she wants our help. Tell him.’ Edgar pushed her again.

‘It’s true and I need your help again.’ She said quietly.

‘Why do you need our help? They were your friends.’ Alan looked at her narrowly and something clicked. ‘Wait, is she…?’ Alan asked Edgar and Edgar looked at her again and Star looked away. That gesture was enough for Alan.

‘I will NEVER help one of you!!’ He yelled at her as he launched at her. She defended herself and gave Alan the same treatment she’d given David only, in her half state and the hit being on a human face, it had far more of an impact and Alan flew back onto the ground but just as quick, Edgar kicked her hard in the stomach with his steel capped boot and she doubled over on the ground in pain. The kick hurt her more than she was expecting and she stayed down on her hands and knees longer than she wanted and, while on the ground, there was more movement around her and there seemed to be more people fighting than there should be. She heard the sickening snapping of bones and both Edgar and Alan screaming then her senses were invaded with the scent of fresh blood. She looked up and suddenly realised David was there and she made it to her feet and ran as fast as she could, knowing that if they had her again she was definitely dead but she only made it half way across the parking lot before she was picked up, brought back and dumped on the ground by Marko. Blood was all over the ground from Alan and even more blood was pooling on the ground around her. There was so much blood on her skirt and she began to moan but there was more red on the concrete than could come from Alan’s dead corpse and she concluded the blood was coming from her. She was haemorrhaging from the kick she’d received and now she couldn’t get up. It went quiet around her and she felt like she was being watched. Star finally looked up at David with terror in her eyes, she didn’t understand what was happening and why she was bleeding so badly.

‘David?’ She pleaded with him but not really expecting any form of help from him considering the current circumstances. He met her eyes and just stood there watching her suffer but he did not move. She began to feel a bit light headed and thoughts that this might actually be the night of her demise came into her head but the next thing she knew she was moving through the darkness fast with the wind rushing through her hair. She didn’t take notice of who she was with but before long she was back in familiar surroundings and being put on her old bed again. She floated in and out of consciousness and she heard David say she was pregnant. She was pregnant? That didn’t make sense to her but with all the blood coming from her… She thought she was dying. Suddenly David was yelling at her, demanding to know if she had slept with Campbell. Campbell? Why was David bringing Campbell up now? She tried to appease him but she only managed to mumble some incoherent words and they didn’t seem to work.

‘Dwayne, bring him over.’ David’s voice echoed in her head. ‘Star, I have a surprise for you. It will help you feel better.’

'Star? What have you done to her?!’ Star heard Laddie’s voice and opened her eyes. ‘You asshole!’ Laddie fired at David. She was confused, what was Laddie doing here?

‘Laddie?’


	31. Choices - David's POV

‘Laddie?!’ Star turned to look at David ‘What is he doing here?’

‘You look surprised, I told you I would make you pay if you left me again.’ He stood with his back to the wall finishing his cigarette and smiled at the physical reaction on her face. The desired effect was being achieved and he watched her scramble to get her thoughts together and in her weakened state, she was as easy to read as a book.

‘David, no. Please, can’t I just have some from you?’ Star squirmed on the bed as she spoke and Laddie’s eyes bugged out at the realisation that Star was once again a half.

‘No.’ David said flatly and flicked his cigarette into the fire Marko has started. ‘You have someone right here’ He said as he grabbed Laddie and pulled him down to her.

‘Get off me!’ Laddie unsuccessfully tried to pull away from David.

‘Oh God…What’s happening to me?’ Star moaned speaking to no one in particular but David waited for her to look at him before he replied.

‘Your time has run out. It’s now Star, you have to feed or you will die’ David said quietly next to her ear.

‘Star, no! Don’t do it!’ Laddie shrieked at her.

‘Shut up boy! If she doesn’t, she will die.’ David twisted Laddie’s arm and shut him down. ‘Star you know what you’ve got to do.’

‘David, I can’t,’ she said backing up on the bed.

‘You have no choice. It’s either your life or his.’ This was no threat, he was speaking the truth.

‘I can’t do that to him.’ Tears began spilling out of her eyes as she spoke.

‘Here, I’ll make it easier for you.’ David brought Laddies arm out in front of her and sliced a long cut from his wrist to his elbow and the fresh blood cascaded out of the wound. The blood made all the boys react and they began turning subconsciously, even Dwayne, who was feeling slightly conflicted over the whole sequence of events unfolding before him.

‘Where did they find you?’ Laddie asked her, buying time, still unable to get free from David’s grasp.

‘David found me in Santa Monica. I swear I never told them where you were.’ She was crying now.

‘Stop blubbering and do it!’ David demanded and she closed her eyes. Laddie watched her and understood she was further gone than he thought she was, and his heart sank. She opened her eyes again and he was looking into her golden yellow orbs as she licked the bottom of the top row of her teeth and looked at his blood. His fear began to rise and he felt a bit woozy with the blood loss he was experiencing.

‘Star, please no.’ Laddie pleaded with her but his pleas went unheard and David watched her take hold of Laddie’s arm from his grasp and pull him towards her and his heart stopped as he waited to see what she was going to do.

‘Star…’ He repeated, coaxing her to keep going. She positioned herself next to Laddie and looked at his face and put her hand on his cheek in a gesture of kindness then she pulled up his arm and she licked the entire length of the cut. Laddie winced at her touch and tried to pull away but she grabbed him tighter, then she looked up at him and he saw her teeth had developed and she was ready for the kill. Paul and Dwayne glanced at each other, both of their interests piqued while Marko looked sideways at her, surprised at her actions. David didn’t take his eyes off her, it felt like no one in the Cave was breathing and the whole world was still.

‘Star, don’t! No! Star…’ Laddie began to panic and jerked his arm away but she held onto it tight and he couldn’t escape. She tilted her head and looked at him as he continued to attempt to yank his arm away. Suddenly she latched onto him and began draining him of blood and he froze, not knowing what to do. Paul cheered as she sustained the intensity of her sucking and both Marko and Dwayne looked on fascinated, yet slightly troubled. David sat back filled with a sense of satisfaction watching her consume her cherished Laddie’s blood. He looked over at his boys, his enjoyment of the moment increasing with every minute while Laddie grew more and more pale and David turned back to revel in her finally doing his bidding. Laddie closed his eyes, the life beginning to drain away from him and he collapsed in her grasp and David couldn’t take his eyes off her when she finally let Laddie go. The boy slumped back onto the bed not moving. She looked up at David and he saw her blazing red ringed yellow eyes with Laddie’s blood coating her chin and dripping off the tips of her teeth and the sight was enough to turn him on and he kissed her, overjoyed. He had won and she had turned.


	32. Choices - Star's POV

‘Laddie?!’ Star stated alarmed, staggering to sit up ‘What is he doing here?’ She asked David.

‘You look surprised. I told you I would make you pay if you left me again.’ He replied smugly. Her thoughts were splintered but she abruptly remembered what David had said to her about Laddie and it all became clear to her.

‘David, no. Please, can’t I just have some from you?’ She felt sick and panicked, the last thing she wanted to do was beg David for anything but here she was dying and begging him for her life. She was resisting the urge to cry, knowing that would make David even angrier and then she heard David deny her request and tell her she already had an alternative here and Laddie was shoved towards her. She watched Laddie resist but to no avail and she was still in so much pain and losing too much blood, she had to do something.

‘Oh God…What’s happening to me?’ Her question was met with silence and she reluctantly looked up into David’s scrutinizing gaze.

‘Your time has run out. It’s now Star, you have to feed or you will die.’ The truth in his whispered words stunned her and if she had more energy, she would hate him more than she already did. Laddie cried out at her and David chastised him and he told her it was what she had to do but she didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to believe him but even in her depleted state, she knew he was right.

‘David, I can’t,’ she said on the verge of tears.

‘You have no choice. It’s either your life or his.’ She began to hyperventilate and looked at the boys but got no look of comfort from any of them, just flat looks of judgement. She looked over at Laddie and saw the panicked expression on his face and she responded to David, the tears finally falling down her cheeks.

‘I can’t do that to him.’ David pulled Laddie’s arm out in front of her.

‘Here, I’ll make it easier for you,’ he said as he opened a large gash in Laddie’s arm and she closed her eyes to the pained reaction she saw in him, but that didn’t stop her from being able to smell the fresh human blood dripping onto the floor. She looked at his arm, and even if she didn’t partake in his blood, it was such a cut that he would probably bleed out if he didn’t seek out any medical attention.

‘Where did they find you?’ Laddie asked her and the question distracted her.

‘David found me in Santa Monica. I swear I never told them where you were.’ She cried as she tried to comfort him with the fact she was still loyal to him. She felt sick and she was out of options.

‘Stop blubbering and do it!’ David barked at her and she again closed her eyes to the verbal attack. The aroma of blood was intoxicating her and she needed it so badly. She hated David for doing this to her, for trapping her in this hellish world again and most of all for being right. If she didn’t have blood soon, she would die. He wasn’t going to help her now, none of them would and Laddie's blood was pooling, flooding her senses and she wanted it. She felt herself morph and she opened her eyes as a vampire, she heard a murmur from the being in front of her but she couldn’t understand it and paid no attention. She had changed and it had begun. She took Laddie’s arm from David and pulled him towards her, everything else in the room seemed to fade out and go fuzzy and she focussed only on the body pumping blood now. Laddie said her name and she looked up at his face and placed her hand on his cheek briefly before the blood lust took over and she took his arm in both hands ran her tongue over the leaking wound, looking up when he jerked at her touch. She could hear his heartbeat already, or was that her own? She couldn’t tell.

‘Star, don’t! No! Star…’ She felt the tugging increase and held the boy tighter, looking at him like she didn’t understand why he didn’t want this and then she capitulated. His blood tasted so sweet and it almost instantly made her feel better. She sucked harder and lost her control wanting more and more, she was like an addict getting her fix. She heard nothing but the pounding of Laddie’s heart and felt her strength returning and building with every swallow. Just like Conner, the heartbeat became louder and louder yet she continued to drink then eventually the sound was then like a sonic boom inside her head and she needed it to stop, she couldn’t stand it, so she let him go and watched him drop back on her bed beside her. He wasn’t moving and it was then she suddenly awoke to what she’d done. She had stopped bleeding, Paul was cheering and Marko was laughing. What had she done? Had she killed Laddie? His heart was still beating when she let go but was he dead? She looked over to David and he greeted her with a satisfied and superior grin across his face and her heart sank into her blood filled stomach. He walked over to her and kissed her hard on the mouth and she looked back at Laddie and felt faint. She had killed him and had turned.


	33. Detected - David's POV

David felt like a weight had been lifted from him, he was elated and wanted to celebrate. He felt a flash of energy enter him, like a new life had begun and his family was reunited and now complete. He looked over at Star and saw her sitting, catatonic, staring at Laddie’s body.

‘Marko, get rid of him.’ David told Marko and Marko went to move but Dwayne jumped up before him.

‘No, I want to do it.’ Dwayne interjected and he walked over to look at Laddie. Dwayne felt a bit of discord over Laddie’s death and he wanted to be the one to lay him to rest. Marko would literally just throw him away, but Dwayne wanted to show him a little respect.

‘What have I done?’ Dwayne heard her say and he looked at her. ‘Why didn’t you save him? You loved him like I did.’

‘It wasn’t my place. You’re one of us now.’ He replied as he picked Laddie up and left the Cave with him. Dwayne took him out to a remote area of the woods inland from Santa Carla and laid him to rest under a bush with his old teddy and a trinket Dwayne had given him when he was little. Dwayne didn’t think he would be feeling as nostalgic or sad over the boy, he didn’t think he’d feel anything but he did. ‘Goodbye kid.’ Dwayne shook Laddie’s hair one last time and he left the boy alone in the woods and headed back to join the boys.

Paul had a joint ready, Paul always had a joint ready, and he sparked it for David. It was like David was celebrating becoming a father only he was celebrating the death of his child and the rebirth of his family and now the re commitment of his girlfriend, no, his wife; they were together forever now. They were part of each other. David took his first toke of the joint and went and got some of her old clothing she had left, out of his room in the Cave, and took it over to her. He wanted to go out and she couldn’t go anywhere looking like a murder victim.

‘It’s over, let it go. It’s done.’ David said and dropped one of her old skirts and a jacket next to her. He held her chin up to him and kissed her.

‘Get whatever you want to keep boys, we’re not coming back here again.’ David announced as he took another toke of the joint and handed it to Marko.

‘Why not?’ Paul stopped what he was doing and looked at David, a bit disappointed. He had only just returned and didn’t want to leave just yet.

‘That Frog brother will be come here and he isn’t going to find us.’ David shot a look at Marko, he was gutted Marko had been so careless but he let it go, they had scared Edgar enough with their defilement of his brother that he didn’t think he’d be back in a hurry, but he would be back eventually and David wasn’t going to be there when he did. David looked over and caught Star getting changed, her lean body excited him he almost had butterflies in his stomach thinking of taking her and consummating their union tonight. She looked just like she used to, he had his old Star back but this time this one had some strength and substance to her now and they could hunt together. He had found some of her bracelets in his room while getting her clothing and he took them over to her. Standing next to her, he dropped the bracelets in her lap and as she looked down at them, he pulled her heart necklace out of his jacket pocket and pulled her hair aside and wrapped in around her neck. After placing his renewed ownership over her again he gently stroked the back of her neck, the way he would early in their relationship.

Dwayne jumped down the Cave entrance and Paul told him they were leaving, so they all packed up the small amount they wanted to hold on to and left. Star rose to follow and David grabbed her upper arm holding her back, she kept her eyes down and he placed his index finger under her chin again and lifted it until she looked at him.

‘You’re mine now. I told you this was forever when we met. You have a million lifetimes to get used to it and you will grow to love it,’ he hesitated. ‘You will love me again like I love you. We will go and celebrate you joining the family with the boys then you and I will celebrate your transition later.’ He said smiling. His heart beat so heavily in his chest, he almost felt alive. He pulled her body hard against his and he plunged his tongue into her mouth as he would his cock inside her and was engrossed by his girl. Keeping his hand on the small of her back, he escorted her out of the Cave and took her with him to collect his bike.

Upon reaching the clearing in the bush where they had left their bikes, David became witness to a large commotion around the Saw Mill, they all looked on uneasily as Police covered the parking lot studying the mass of blood all over the concrete and Alan’s torn body and David’s elation was falling faster than an avalanche with the realisation of what all this meant. Again they had been too careless, had these boys lost their touch? How could he let this happen? Fuck, especially in these times! Back in the 50’s, you could leave a body out and it wasn’t a problem, take the Black Dahlia for instance, they still hadn’t worked that one out and that had been Dwayne early in his transition. But now, David knew to be more careful and he was seething, they had to leave and leave now.

‘See what you’ve done, you stupid bitch?’ David heard Marko spit at Star but he didn’t acknowledge it. In a way, Marko was right, this kind of attention was not needed, especially when the cops were already on her tail in California.

‘Let’s go.’ David told the others and they pushed their bikes away and started them up out of earshot.

‘Get comfortable, we’re heading east to Vegas.’ He said to her once she had mounted his bike behind him. He had to get out of the state and go somewhere where they would blend in for a while.


	34. Detected - Star's POV

Star sat flushed the cold Cave. She found herself in such a state of shock that she couldn’t move, she couldn’t speak or cry, she could barely think but the crumbled thoughts she could manage were of Laddie. Star heard mumbled voices but they were nothing more than white noise to her and she watched as Dwayne walked over and looked at Laddie.

‘What have I done?’ She asked him, exasperated, and Dwayne looked at her. ‘Why didn’t you save him? You loved him like I did.’

‘It wasn’t my place. You’re one of us now.’ He answered her, rather detached, before he lifted Laddie and took him out of the Cave to dispose of him. She sat looking at the stain he’d left, that she’d left, and she wanted to die.

‘It’s over, let it go. It’s done.’ David came over and held her chin in his hand as he spoke and then dropped one of her old skirts and a jacket next to her and kissed her and she looked at the items and thought to herself it is done, he even had her old clothes to wear. She was being returned to her old self. She briefly wondered where he had found them and then dismissed the thought as it didn’t matter, at least they weren’t covered in blood. In Laddie’s blood. She looked at him wanting him to stop all this from happening, for it to all be a bad dream and for it not to be real but he just walked away content in the evening’s happenings. He told her to get dressed as they were going out to celebrate. To celebrate?! How could she go anywhere after that? Again, she knew she had no choice, she had none of her own clothes to change into because she’d left her bag in Edgar’s car so she shyly took off the blood soaked clothing she had on and dressed as David wished and went and sat on the love seat in the main cavern. She went over and over it in her mind what had happened or what she could remember because she was sure his heart was still beating when she had released him. She really didn’t feel any more like a vampire than she did before, but then, should she? She didn’t know how she should be feeling, except guilty. She reluctantly looked at the boys getting geared up to leave, they would have to go and get their bikes again and she wondered if they would leave her here while they did. It didn’t matter anymore, where was she going to go? It’s not like Edgar would help her now, no one would. Edgar, what had happened to him? She knew they had killed Alan but what had happened to Edgar in the scuffle? Had Marko killed him too? She couldn’t remember. Then as if he was reading her mind again, David announced to the boys to get whatever they wanted to keep as they weren’t coming back here again.

‘Why not?’ Paul asked with his eyebrows creased.

‘That Frog brother will be come here and he isn’t going to find us.’ So he had got away, she struggled to believe anyone would have escaped their clutches tonight but she figured she must have caused a large enough distraction for it to have occurred. Then it flashed in her head like lightening, the blood pouring out of her, David saying she was pregnant… Laddie had taken over all of her thoughts and affected her so badly, she was only now remembering the finer details of what had actually happened tonight. The vomiting, the dream, the pain and excessive bleeding. She had been pregnant and had lost it. She felt an uncomfortable knot develop in her stomach, not so much that she wanted to have a baby, but that she had been pregnant at all. She remembered David roaring at her about Campbell and it suddenly made sense. Thank god in her state, she hadn’t told him the truth, she had slept with him and now she thought that it could have been Campbell’s, but there was no way she was divulging that information. What was she going to do now? David came and dropped some of her bracelets in her lap and wrapped her broken heart necklace around her neck, running his fingers down the nape of her neck it awakened her from her haze and she closed her eyes at his touch. He was laying his ownership of her on thick and it felt as heavy as a ball and chain around her neck. Dwayne returned and it was time to leave, the boys walked out ahead of David and Star and David took hold of her arm and held her back when she went to follow them. She didn’t even want to look at him but he lifted her chin and she was forced to look into his sparkling blue eyes. He looked so happy. ‘You’re mine now. I told you this was forever when we met. You have a million lifetimes to get used to it and you will grow to love it. You will love me again like I love you. We will go and celebrate you joining the family with the boys then you and I will celebrate your transition later.’ His words made her feel sick and she felt his hand wrap around her waist and she was pulled close to him and he forcibly kissed her passionately, sliding his tongue deep in her mouth and devouring her. She was then guided out of the Cave and he held onto her as they followed the boys to pick up their bikes from the Saw Mill.

Star went to the lookout area where the boys had left their bikes and she saw the view that they had seen when she had met Alan with Edgar a matter of hours ago, although it felt like a week ago to her with all that had happened since. It was a panorama of the whole parking lot, they’d seen everything, only now that parking lot was cordoned off and there were Police and the coroner scoping the scene. Someone from the bar had found Alan’s body and there were forensic investigators analysing the blood on the ground. It wouldn’t be long before they realised the blood they were looking at wasn’t quite right and they’d have Star’s very unique DNA on file. Thoughts of Campbell, Melissa and Conner filled her brain and Star wondered if the Santa Carla Police knew of them. She was actualizing exactly how much trouble she was in and how careful she was going to have to be, how careful she should have been.

‘See what you’ve done, you stupid bitch?’ Marko hissed at her. She looked at him and then back at the scene below frightened. David was right, they were going to have to leave, but not only California, they were going to have to leave the West Coast.

‘Let’s go.’ David told the boys and they pushed their bikes away from the area so they could start them up without any attention. ‘Get comfortable, we’re heading east to Vegas’ He said back to her and he pulled away.


	35. The Truth Comes Out - David's POV

They made it to Bakersfield by the time the sun began to rise and they found a dingy hotel deep in the city between two large office buildings to bed down for the day. David didn’t really want to stay in a hotel, it just meant another paper trail but gone were the days of staying in a blocked off cavern. If Max could do it though, so could David. Max had even owned a business yet David had always struggled to see how he did it without being found out. David took a look at the young girl at the reception and smiled.

‘Dwayne, go get a room.’ Dwayne walked in and the girl just about fell over looking at him and Dwayne looked back at David grinning, she was just his type and David knew it. Before long the girl was leading Dwayne to his room and the others reached over and got themselves keys to their own rooms. David held on to Star and pulled her into his room with him, despite everything he was strong in his conviction to complete at least one of his objectives for the night, he was going to celebrate regardless of the Police attention Alan had created but they were going to have to be as low key as possible from now on, at least until they could blend into the madness that was Las Vegas. David would be able to relax there, the place was still full of show men and freaks and no one would take a second look at him and his band of merry men there.

Stepping into the room, Star headed straight to the bathroom for a shower and as there was no radio in the room, David flicked on the TV to find a music channel. He didn’t like watching TV, he was more of a music man, or movies if he had to watch anything, he much preferred doing things than watching things. The 6am morning news was on and his attention was caught by the news anchor speaking of a body being found in the parking lot of The Saw Mill bar in Santa Carla. The blonde described the scene and said Alan’s name and that they were investigating his movements and looking for anyone who had spoken to him or seen him speaking to anyone that night. She moved onto the next story and David switched the channel. They didn’t mention Edgar but he wondered how long it would be until they had spoken to him and what he would say, Edgar was his brother after all and David couldn’t see him holding back. He relaxed a bit, at least the cops were still as useless as they’d ever been and by the time they’d had any leads, he’d be long gone. Once they were in Las Vegas, they’d be fine, and they’d just keep moving east until they reached Miami if they had to. As long as no one said Alan had been speaking to Star because that would be more than a small problem considering.

Star returned from her shower fully dressed and sat on the small couch in the room away from him. David pulled out a joint, he was anxious and needed to chill, and he began puffing away trying not to think of their situation. He was tired but looking at her all soft and warm, he wasn’t too tired to cement his bond with his new vampire muse once more and told her to come to him. She looked nervous and took a few seconds before she moved to the end of the bed.He held out the joint to her but she declined.

‘It will make you feel better about everything.’ Again she shook her head. ‘It will make me feel better.’ He insisted and after scrutinizing him, she conceded. He watched every move she made as she placed the joint to her lips and he waited for the smoke to take effect.

‘Have another.’ He urged and she did and as she passed it back to him he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. He felt her stiffen and pull back slightly and he intensified his gaze into her eyes and used his influence on her. He laid it on thick, thicker than what he was expecting he’d have to which gave him a flash of annoyance.

‘Come to me Star.’ He said in his cool calm voice and he had her whether she wanted it or not, she was folding under his control. She went to her sire and she straddled him on the bed and he smiled at her and made himself comfortable. He still felt an underlying reluctance but he didn’t care and he put his hand behind her head, pulled her down on top of him and he kissed her. In that one move she relented and she was his for the taking.

David was awake before he opened his eyes, he’d awoken to the low sound of the TV. A different announcer was reading the nightly news and he was reporting on the body found in Santa Carla and the belief that the Police had that there was either another body or the perpetrator had been injured as there had been two types of blood identified at the scene. They had sent the sample the top US Haematologists to look over for an answer. They were searching local hospitals in Santa Carla and San Francisco for any unusual admissions. They said they had spoken to the deceased’s brother but were still interested in speaking to anyone else with any knowledge about this attack.

‘…and in a related story, two trampers came across an unconscious man near Boulder Creek this morning. The Police are unsure if the man, identified as Gabriel Thompson, is connected to the incident in Santa Carla but they are doing DNA testing and will speak to him once he awakens. He has been flown to San Francisco hospital in a critical condition with severe blood loss and his family are on their way from Huntington Beach.’

Gabriel Thompson. Laddie. David’s eyes shot open and he sat up, disbelieving what he’d just heard. Glaring at the TV he saw images of San Francisco hospital and heard the man once again asking for the public’s help if anyone knew of Gabriel’s movements the previous night to contact the California Police department. He was at San Francisco hospital. Hospital not morgue. What the fuck? Laddie was alive. Star hadn’t turned and Dwayne hadn’t disposed of the body, he’d just left him out there to be found. What they fuck was wrong with him? With both of them? David was furious. He stared at her and for a split second he turned and was ready to rip her head off but he knew he couldn’t leave any more evidence and he got up and left without speaking to her. He went to get the boys up and after thundering in to both Paul’s and Marko’s rooms and demanding them to get ready, he broke the hinges off the door to Dwayne’s room and told him under no uncertain terms to get up before storming out.

‘We’re leaving.’ He abruptly told Star upon getting back to the room and he grabbed his jacket and stood at the door impatiently waiting for her to join him. He was definitely not in the mood for any kind of small talk and marched her outside, demanding she get on his bike, and he revved his engine loudly as he waited for the boys to appear. The boys came out and got ready to leave and even they were uneasy about the mood of their monosyllabic leader so they followed his instruction without question and they left Bakersfield without feeding. The boys were expecting David to be happy after last night’s events but with the speed and aggression he was riding, something was very wrong. 

David led the boys up highway 15 and up the 127 to the Nopah Range and parked his bike away from the parking area. When all their engines had ceased, David got off his bike and took his gloves off, placing them on the seat of his bike.

‘When I gave you the gift of immortality, I told you there were rules you had to abide by to maintain not only your anonymity, but all of our security.’ He looked from brother to brother as he spoke. ‘They are simple rules to not draw any attention to us and I thought you all knew them well. We live in the shadows and don’t make relationships no matter what happens to us, we live off the radar without creating records or paper trails. And we don’t leave our kills out for anyone to find, especially in this century.’ In a lightning fast move David launched at Dwayne pinning him up against a tree with his teeth bared and a deep growling emitting from his throat. ‘So what the fuck were you doing leaving Laddie out to be found and taken to a hospital?’

‘Hospital?’ Dwayne managed through David’s strangulation hold.

‘Laddie is alive in San Francisco hospital surrounded by Police.’ He roared throwing Dwayne roughly against another tree. David turned and was on both Paul and Marko just as fast digging his nail deep in their shoulders. ‘And while I’m at it, you two left a body out AND let a witness go. Witnesses don’t live, especially when we have killed his family member and that witness has tried to kill us once already. You fuckwits have been fatally sloppy and now we have a massive mess to avoid.’ He spun on his heel dropping the men and stared pure evil at Star. ‘And everything is your fault.’


	36. The Truth Comes Out - Star's POV

Riding through the night had given her time to think, she had always loved being on the back of a bike and tonight it was exactly where she needed to be. Looking behind her and seeing Paul and Dwayne weaving in and out of traffic and Marko close behind David, she felt like she was in a dream or reliving a long ago memory. In a strange way she felt part of them, like she belonged with them and she wondered if that was because she had now killed and she was one of them. Then she thought of Laddie, the kid David had brought back to the cave one night and how cute and innocent he was before David had given him some of his ‘wine’. He thought it was funny and a way to get Star to change. She was the one who had saved him from all this, had got him away and back to a normal life, then within weeks of David coming back she was the one to kill him. Tears fell from her eyes over the boy and she was grateful David couldn’t see them, she was so despondent over her life, she had no idea what she was going to do now and she actually began to think of giving up. She really only had two choices left, she could either give in to David and embrace what she now was or she could end it all and she didn’t even know how a vampire committed suicide. Again, David had won. They arrived into the town of Bakersfield at about 5am and Star wondered where David would make them sleep today and to her surprise he rode deep in the city and found a small hotel nestled in a dark spot and he parked his bike.

Dwayne was nominated to pay for a room and in turn provided a nice distraction for the girl at the reception, enough of a distraction that she disappeared with him to show him to his room leaving the desk unattended and the keys available to the rest of the group to get a free room each undetected. David had taken to holding on to Star and he pulled her with him into his room, she really wanted her own room but there was no way he was going to allow that right now. Walking down the hallway, she realised she could go and have a long hot shower and she became almost excited at the prospect and verred straight for the bathroom once the door was open. The bathroom was small and pokey but she didn’t care, there were fresh towels and a lock on the door. The water pressure wasn’t great but the temperature was perfect so she was happy. She had no idea how long she’d been in there but the water became luke warm and she decided she should get out and she made sure she got fully dressed before she left the bathroom, she wasn’t going to be his puppet this time.

Star stepped out of the bathroom and spotted a small couch on the other side of the small room and walked over towards it, she was not going to sit on the bed with him, that had meant nothing but trouble up until now. She didn’t understand how he did this to her every time, it was like he knew all her weaknesses and exploited them every chance he got. David began smoking a joint and he sat there looking at her and it made her nervous, like he was peering into her soul.

‘Come here.’ She knew it was futile to resist him despite the internal dialogue she had just had with herself and she sat at the end of the bed. He held out the joint to her and she declined, she felt weak enough to his charms let alone being stoned. ‘It will make you feel better about everything.’ She internally agreed with his sentiment but again she shook her head. ‘It will make me feel better.’ This comment threw her a bit, what was he feeling upset about? The Police finding Alan? David never let anything really bother him. She looked at him closely and saw a tinge of uneasiness and unpredictability about him and that gave her an air of fear so she took the joint from him and inhaled sharply. ‘Have another.’ She didn’t want another but he was pushing so she did what she was told. Passing it back to him he latched onto her wrist and held her and she froze, a bolt of panic seared through her body and she tried to pull away. Her eyes were locked by his and she was unable to move. Glinting yellow, his eyes were boring into her and he spoke to her in his velvet tones. ‘Come to me Star.’ She could feel herself falling under his spell as she climbed on top of him, her heart hurting as it beat in her chest. She felt his hand on her neck but she couldn’t break the eye contact she had with him and she tried so hard to not be pulled down but once his lips met hers, she buckled and relaxed. Again, she was his girl to do with as he pleased.

_Star was in an old styled bar with an all wooden interior. A wooden bar top with wooden tables, wooden chairs and wooden wall panelling. Everything was wooden and Star was behind a bar area with five other people in front of her. Someone passed her a joint and she smoked it, but she didn’t want to be caught with it. She looked at one of the men in the bar and he had a red shirt on._

_‘Why did you do that?’ The voice spoke to her and sounded like it was muffled or far away. ‘Why would you do that to me?’ The man asked again and she looked up and it was Laddie. She didn’t know what to say and felt hopeless. She looked again at the shirt and saw it wasn’t red fabric, it was stained with blood. She looked back up to him and she began crying as she spoke._

_‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t…’_

_‘You shouldn’t smoke that, it makes you too available to him.’_

Star awoke early, with a fright, and, despite being revoltingly tired last night, she hadn’t slept properly and felt terrible. David had slept next to her but he hadn’t held her like before and she was able to sit up without disturbing him. She looked around the dank cold room feeling guilty and trapped. Her thoughts had been tormenting her for hours and now she was back to having more dreams. She thought the dreams may have stopped now she had turned, but apparently not. She wondered if all the boys had these dreams every night and she looked over at David but he seemed to sleep soundly and she studied his face as he slept. Again he had a youthful innocent look about him, he looked like the man she had fallen in love with, not the monster who had led her to kill Laddie as a punishment. But they were one and the same person and she had to remember that right now.

She turned on the TV to distract her from the noise in her head and began flicking through the channels when she flicked it to the local news and the story they were reporting on made her blood clog in her veins and made it hard for her to breathe. She could barely believe what she was hearing, scientists were perplexed by the sample of blood found at the murder scene of Alan Frog and they were conducting genome testing to ascertain where this blood came from. Oh, God, they had her DNA. David was going to be furious once he found out. She had broken one of his cardinal rules and that usually meant death or some kind or banishment. She became scared and the news reported continued onto the next story and she didn’t pay too much attention as she was thinking about the consequences and what this would mean for her until the news reporter mentioned a name that changed everything. A man had been found in the woods near death. He’d been taken to San Francisco hospital in a critical condition. His name was Gabriel Thompson. Laddie. Laddie was alive. She hadn’t killed him and she hadn’t turned! Her heart surged but was crushed just as quick when David sat up from his slumber and stared at the TV then at her with fire in his eyes and she could feel he was ready to end her. The atmosphere was like ice and she froze accordingly waiting for the reaction from the beast but instead he rose and left the room. She sat there shocked and heard David wake the boys up but she could already feel the glimmer of hope ignite inside her and she put her shoes on. She heard a large bang and he reappeared shortly after.

‘We’re leaving.’ He dismissed any form of response from her even though she didn’t offer one and she put her jacket on and left the room only to be grabbed roughly by him and dragged outside. ‘Get on.’ He sat on his bike and she stood back. ‘NOW.’ His order made her jump and she climbed on behind him and he gunned his bike to hurry along the rest of the boys. David didn’t wait for them to get ready and bolted out of Bakersfield immediately leaving the boys trailing behind him. Star was forced to hang on to David for dear life as he rode recklessly through traffic, running red lights and ignoring any kind of road rules right until they reached the turn off towards Nopah then he snaked up the road and past the parking lot to a small area inside the range and he finally parked up. The boys arrived shortly after and all quit their engines and dismounted their bikes, looking uncertainly at each other. ‘When I gave you the gift of immortality, I told you there were rules you had to abide by to maintain not only your anonymity, but all of our security.’ Star watched silently as he addressed the boys and it felt to her like the calm before the storm. ‘They are simple rules to not draw any attention to us and I thought you all knew them well. We live in the shadows and don’t make relationships no matter what happens to us, we live off the radar without creating records or paper trails. And we don’t leave our kills out for anyone to find, especially in this century.’ Her eyes widened as she witnessed David launch at Dwayne, growling with his hand tight around his throat before screaming at him and throwing him painfully over at a nearby tree. He then turned on Paul and Marko creating welts and puncture wounds as he spoke to them. ‘And while I’m at it, you two left a body out AND let a witness go. Witnesses don’t live, especially when we have killed his family member and that witness has tried to kill us once already. You fuckwits have been fatally sloppy and now we have a massive mess to avoid.’ If this was what he was going to do to his boys, she was surely going to be hurt if not killed now and she felt isolated and very scared and alone. David then dropped the men and turned to her and she had never seen such vile emanating from him before in her life and she was terrified. ‘And everything is your fault.’ She stood in front of him and waited for the hit.


	37. I Love You - David's POV

David walked towards her and swiftly grabbed her by her hair, pulling her down uncomfortably as he leered above her. Paul and Marko got up and joined Dwayne in silently looking on and watching to see what David was going to do. In the feral mood he was in, he was highly unpredictable and had put on despicable displays of cruelty in the past when he was like this.

‘David, please…’

‘Please what?’ He taunted her begging and leaned over her even more making her bend awkwardly backwards. ‘I ought to rip you apart and leave you out here to be burnt in the daylight with what you have brought upon us, you selfish bitch.’

‘David…’

‘You aren’t worth it. I should have just killed you back in Santa Monica when I first found you at the gym.’ She stared at him with absolute terror in her eyes. ‘I thought I could get you back and things could be like they were. I thought I wanted you back, but now? You are more trouble than you are worth. Our reunion is over Star.’ He let her hair go and looked at her neck as he wrapped his hand around her throat pulling her upwards and she panicked. The boys were breathless, waiting for the culmination of years of angst between the two in front of them, except Marko who had a satisfied grin on his face. This was the moment he’d been waiting for.

‘David, wait!’ He looked up at her face without saying anything. ‘I didn’t know Laddie was left alive, I honestly thought I had killed him. That’s why I was so upset. And without me you wouldn’t have your family back again, if you hadn’t have followed me up to San Francisco, you wouldn’t have found Paul and Dwayne!’ David stopped and was listening to her. ‘You are my family too, I have never been able to replace the hole that was left when I thought you had died. Michael was never going to replace you. No one will.’ She placed her had on his cheek as tears formed in her eyes then she said the three words he needed to hear that would change everything. ‘I love you.’ She said quietly, tilting her head slightly to the side the way she used to. David let her go and stood up straight, towering over her as she sat on the ground, and as he looked at her searching her face, he wanted to believe her. He wanted to kill her and tear her soul apart but regardless of all she had done, he had a definite weakness and a love for her that had never faltered and in that moment, he believed she loved him. Her words had thrown him, he hadn’t expected to hear them like that and it had changed the way he was thinking and he was slightly clearer. He couldn’t kill her in California anyways, with DNA testing in this millennium, they could extract it from a single hair on her head even if the body was completely dry of blood so she was going to have to be with him for a little while longer even if she hadn’t have said those words. He felt torn and weak and pissed off and a little manipulated, but he’d waited forever to hear her say those words to him. He suddenly needed to leave, he needed to be alone for a bit and get things sorted in his own head, but right now he couldn’t so he was going to ride. Maybe feed and then ride and ride until they’d hit Las Vegas, maybe further, he was now very distracted. Without responding to her declaration, he glanced around at the boys and his surroundings and quickly back at her. Did she really love him or was she just saying it to save her life? Any normal person would make any attempt to save their own skin around David, he had heard it many times before but it had never affected him. Hearing Star say those words had turned his steel heart into mercury and had made him want to change his immediate plans.

‘Feeding time boys.’ He turned and got on his bike and started it up. ‘Get on’ he told Star looking back at her, which she did and he felt her wrap her arms around him and hold on slightly tighter to him than she had before.

He led the boys back up to the tiny town of Pahrump and arrived there a little after twelve in the morning and now being a Tuesday, there weren’t too many people around. Although it was just over an hour away from Las Vegas, it was still a small desert town and, driving through the deserted streets, David began to think he’d made a mistake coming here until he spotted them. They ambled down the street laughing and smashing bottles. They were drunk, well most of them were and they reminded David of himself and his crew way back in the early days. There were four of them, two girls and two men and they scrambled to get into a dirty beaten up car and unsteadily drove off towards Last Chance Range. How appropriate, he thought, as he did a u-turn and followed them. 20 minutes later the car pulled into a stopping area and the occupants sat in the car for a bit while David and his boys rode past them and ditched their bikes, walking the short way back and they watched the car from a secluded vantage point. The four people in the car were snorting a white powder which put a wide smile on Paul’s face, he suspected cocaine and he hadn’t had coke in ages and was already looking forward to the side effects of his feed tonight. David looked over at Paul and smiled for the first time that night and it was a welcome signal for the boys, it meant the game was on and the hunt had begun. This was providing a nice diversion for David and he definitely needed a decent distraction right now. 

There was chatter and laughter and music inside the car and they were oblivious to the stalking going on outside the car. Marko and Dwayne approached the back doors as David and Paul stood on either side of the car but slightly away, waiting for the others to make their move before they did. Then before the coke heads even knew what was happening, both of the back doors had been ripped off their hinges and Marko was inside the car tearing the jugular out of the man sitting in the back and spraying blood all over the interior of the car. At the same time Dwayne had dragged the screaming girl in the back out of the car, slammed her onto the trunk and latched onto her throat, with her flailing beneath him. The other two people ran screaming from the car, the girl unintentionally ran straight into David and the man took off towards the woods. David grabbed the terrified girl and looked over at Paul’s meal running away and over to Paul, who was smiling at him. David knew Paul enjoyed playing with his food and he couldn’t help but smile when he caught Paul’s eye before Paul headed towards the woods and he heard the sweet sound of screaming coming from the darkness. David then turned to the girl.

‘Come with me.’ He said as he led her near a pathway into the other side of the bush. He looked over towards Star and made sure he caught her attention. He wanted her to watch this.

‘No, please, no please don’t kill me!’ She replied pulling away from him. Her begging and pleading instantly reminded him of Star and he stopped walking and faced her. ‘I want to live, please don’t kill me!’ She was crying and without saying a word David turned and tore a large gash in her chest and got his fill. The cocaine was still strong and was of high quality and the boys were buzzing after their feed. They disposed the bodies the old way, the reliable way that David had taught them in the beginning, they would have to go back to all the old ways now. They lit a bonfire and fired the bodies on top then, while the boys were watching the bodies’ burn, David looked over at Star through the flames and saw her sitting on a rock taking the scene in, her eyes glinting red and gold but her body language telling a different story. He hadn’t even thought of her feeding but as soon as he had the thought, he dismissed it just as fast and walked over to her and pulled her to her feet and whilst he was still stained with blood he planted a deep kiss on her burgundy lips and to his surprise it was a kiss she returned. No hesitation, no pulling away or freezing up, she almost welcomed it and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The boys began whistling and cheering them on including Marko in his cocaine filled state, and David was the one to pull away. This left him intrigued. It was nearing 2am and being an hour and a half away from Las Vegas, they were going to have to get moving and find some shelter for the day. The boys cleaned themselves up in the nearby creek and headed off toward the city that never sleeps.

Riding down South Las Vegas Boulevard, the streets were alive with people and energy and the lights glittered everywhere. David looked at every motel that went past and tried to find one that was deep in the shadows of the large structures that now dominated the landscape. He didn’t mind Vegas, he used to come here with Marko in the late 70’s and early 80’s, but the place was very different now. It was easy to find a dank dirty little place back then but now everything was based around pools and nightclubs, and he was beginning to think he had made a mistake in coming here until he saw it. He pulled left and went down the street behind the Venetian and there it was, completely in the shadow of the giant hotel and perfect for them for the day. David pulled up down the alleyway next to the old building and both Star and he got off the bike, the boys pulling up and doing the same. He looked at her sensing something was not right, he had felt it from her on the ride up and he thought the girl better not be lying to him because that would be something he would not tolerate. She was only hanging on by a thread as it was.

‘Holy shit.’ Marko said looking over the worn weatherboard on the side of the place.

‘Yeah, I was hoping she’d still be here.’ David answered looking towards the door before looking over at Marko and smiling. They walked through the door and the man at the counter barely acknowledged them.

‘It’s $65 a night and I only got two rooms.’

‘We’ll take them.’ David replied motioning to Marko. Marko responded by flicking $150 on the counter.

The man took the money and handed back two keys and a $20 bill and the boys walked down a dark hallway and into one of the rooms.

‘Ugh, I need a smoke.’ Paul announced as soon as he entered and plonked himself down on the bed to roll a joint.

‘You and me both.’ David said as he pulled at the old ranch slider which was stuck. Jerking it harder, it screeched open and he stepped out on the balcony to light a cigarette. Dwayne stepped out with him while Marko sat talking and laughing with Paul, the cocaine still effecting them both, Marko had always been a light weight when it had come to drugs and he was currently struggling with the remote control while Paul took the piss out of him. David looked back in the room and turned back to look out at the street. He had changed his mind about leaving Santa Carla, he wanted to reclaim his territory and no punk Frog brother was going to stop him, obviously they had to get out until things had chilled but he was going back. No one would believe Edgar and the haemotologists wouldn’t be able to work her blood out for years, if ever, so once things had calmed down and it became a cold case, David would return.

‘Choo Choo!! The train is smoking!’ Paul hollered out of the room, he’d already started the joint and was well on his way and David and Dwayne came inside to join him. Marko was smashed sitting on the floor leaning against the edge of the bed trying to get some music going.

‘Where is she?’ David looked around.

‘I don’t know, she walked out with the other key. I think she’s in the other room.’ Paul over exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.

David left the room and went into the other room and found her asleep on the bed. He stood and watched her sleep for a few seconds before closing and locking the door and going back to the other room. Paul was on form, making the boys laugh and relax and they enjoyed just hanging out and getting smashed together, this was the first time they could just be themselves and they enjoyed it. Before long, Marko had crashed on the floor and Paul’s brain had been sucked into the TV and David went back out onto the balcony for another smoke before they were all pulled into their daily comas. He watched the scantily clad prostitutes walking up the road then he saw some dudes doing a blatant deal in a car on the side of the road as he took another drag on his cigarette.

‘What are we doing?’ Dwayne asked him.

‘We’ll stay here for a bit and find out what is happening in Santa Carla and if things haven’t chilled, we’ll stay here until they have.’ David answered without looking at him. ‘I want to go back.’

‘What about…’ Dwayne started but was interrupted.

‘I don’t give a shit. Nothing has gotten in my way in the past and nothing will now. We belong in Santa Carla, that town is ours.’ David said matter of factly.

A long pause passed between them and although they weren’t speaking out loud, they were still communicating.

‘What are you doing with her?’ Dwayne finally asked.

David had a slight reaction to the question and he flicked his cigarette butt off the balcony and looked down. ‘She’s not getting away now,’ he said before looking over at the glow of shining white building across the main road, ‘she’ll never get away again.’ He said before walking back inside and out the door towards the other room.


	38. I Love You - Star's POV

As soon as he moved towards her, she knew she was in trouble and she glanced over at the others to find them watching David intently to see what their leader was going to do. He grabbed her hair and pulled her sharply downward.

‘David, please…’ She begged. She was really scared.

‘Please what? I ought to rip you apart and leave you out here to be burnt in the daylight with what you have brought upon us you selfish bitch.’

‘David…’ She tried to speak but he abruptly cut her off.

‘You aren’t worth it. I should have just killed you back in Santa Monica when I first found you at the gym.’ At the gym? He didn’t find her at the gym, it was out on the road after she’d been to the club. Wasn’t it? How long had he been watching her before he’d approached her? She didn’t even know. Was he finally going to kill her now? She was far more scared than she wanted to show but she knew he was doing this for the fear and to assert his power and she was in no position to challenge that right now. She closed her eyes and her heart beat painfully in her chest and she was acutely aware of every word that passed his lips. ‘I thought I could get you back and things could be like they were. I thought I wanted you back, but now? You are more trouble than you are worth. Our reunion is over Star.’ The tone in his smooth voice told her he’d made up his mind and she began to come apart as he let her hair go and slid his gaze to her throat and his hand followed, slowly pulling her towards him. She had to say something or do something or she was about to breathe her last breath.

‘David, wait! I didn’t know Laddie was left alive, I honestly thought I had killed him, that’s why I was so upset. And without me you wouldn’t have your family back again, if you hadn’t have followed me up to San Francisco, you wouldn’t have found Paul and Dwayne!’ She had his attention and she needed to keep it. ‘You are my family too, I have never been able to replace the hole that was left when I thought you had died. Michael was never going to replace you. No one will.’ She knew she needed to pull out all the stops and tell him the one thing she’d never said to him in the 30 odd years they’d known each other. She placed her had on his face and betraying all that she’d promised herself and all that she’d worked so hard for, she said it. ‘I love you.’ Everything went still and he looked at her for the longest time. He let her go and stood, still looking at her, and she didn’t know what to do. He could kill her in an instant and she prayed her words had reached him. She felt like he was reading her soul with the intensity he was looking at her with and she didn’t really want to tell him she loved him, she didn’t even know if it was true, but she knew that if she didn’t say something drastic and powerful, she would be dead by now. She looked at Paul and he looked a bit stunned and then to Dwayne, who was looking at David. She then looked at Marko and she saw a death stare which made her go cold but she couldn’t afford to worry about Marko right now, she had to ensure her salvation and if he didn’t like it, too bad. David looked at his comrades and looking back at her he suddenly announced that it was time to eat. She was apprehensive at this and stood up unsteadily as he climbed on his bike and started it up.

‘Get on.’ His words made her jump and she did as she was told, climbing on behind him and holding on tight so her hands wouldn’t shake. She tried to keep her thoughts in order because if he caught her deception, she would be dead in an instant so for now she had to maintain the front she had put up, at least until she could formulate her next move.

Riding into town, there was nobody around the place and she was worried that if they couldn’t find something to feed on, she would be offered up, she didn’t feel confident in anything at the moment, least of all where she stood with David. Marko would happily do what David wouldn’t right now and she wouldn’t be left alone with Marko ever again. Unexpectedly David did a u-turn and began to follow a car back out of town and the boys followed. She saw they had found their targets and Star felt a flood of relief, not that she wanted them to die, but that they boys would calm down once they had fed. They pulled over and walked a short way back to watch the kids in the car, David pulling Star along with him. She saw the men in the car snorting drugs, she didn’t know what but she really hoped it wasn’t speed, that would make David a whole lot worse and more paranoid and that was the last thing she needed. He let her go once Marko and Dwayne had moved towards the car and they were all like tigers stalking their prey. She sat on a large boulder in the shadows watching the boys and although this would have been a perfect time to try and disappear, she had nowhere to go and she needed to prove some loyalty and get some trust back, especially after what she’d said. She resigned herself to the fact she would be with them for a while now.

The boys surrounded the car and she felt more and more uncomfortable about witnessing the unfolding attack when Marko and Dwayne had the doors off the car in a nano second, simultaneously ambushing the people in the back seat. She couldn’t see what Marko was doing but she heard the screaming from the girl in the front and she saw Dwayne pull that girl out and whacking her on the trunk of the car and Star brought her knees up to her chest and buried her head in her arms so she couldn’t see anymore. Within a minute, it went quiet and she dared to look over her arms and saw Marko and Dwayne standing next to the car and David holding the other girls arm. Paul was nowhere to be seen but she soon heard a man screaming in the woods and she covered her ears. She couldn’t be one of these monsters, she just couldn’t, and she didn’t even want to see what David was going to do to the poor girl.

‘Come with me.’ His words echoed in her head and she looked up to find David looking over towards her despite the fact he was talking to the petrified girl. Star saw the gold of his eyes glowing in the night and squeezed her knees tighter but she couldn’t look away, he wouldn’t let her look away.

‘No, please, no please don’t kill me!’ The girl was fighting against him and sealing her fate in the process. ‘I want to live, please don’t kill me!’ Then before Star’s eyes, David slashed her chest open and killed her. It was a show of what he would have done to her and she knew it. She felt sick and went a bit numb as she watched them collect up the bodies and burn them on a fire started by Marko. The boys were high, she could tell, and they were all joking and laughing around the fire when suddenly she became aware of David staring at her and she looked at him walking towards her and he grabbed her hands. She stood unprepared for what was coming and he kissed her and, knowing what she had to do, she kissed him back and placed her hands on the back of his shoulders. The boys cheered them on and it was David who pulled away first and she wiped the blood from around her mouth looking away. The smell of the burning flesh was making her feel even queasier and while the boys cleaned themselves up, she tried to get herself together for the ride to Las Vegas. She quickly realised with reprieve that it was cocaine and not speed and the boys were happily wasted. They headed off and during the trip the consequences of what she’d done began to weigh heavily on her, both the external and internal ones. Those words had been the one thing she had kept from him, the one thing he had craved from her, aside from her becoming like him, and in a moment of pure fear and weakness, she had said it. She had given him her Ace card and now her power had gone. She felt like she had nothing left and now not only had she disclosed it, but she would have to show it too. Prove to him she loved him otherwise she would be dead. He would have to know it was true because David was not one to suffer being made a fool of.

The closer they got to Vegas, the brighter the lights of the Boulevard became and the more anxious Star felt thinking about where they were going to stay for the night and what would be expected of her. She couldn’t sleep with him tonight, saying she loved him was bad enough but to solidify it by sleeping with him was something she couldn’t bear. David led the boys down a side street off the main drag to an old beat up motel which felt vaguely familiar to her and, getting off the bike, David turned and looked at her narrowly, like he was scrutinizing her and her stomach turned over. She was going to have to be really careful.

‘Holy shit.’ Marko said to David.

‘Yeah, I was hoping she’d still be here.’ Star heard the interaction between to two of them as she inspected her sleeping quarters for the day and tried to remember where she knew it from. Had she been here before? The last time she’d been in Las Vegas was with Michael and remembering that made her sad. They walked in the entrance and she peered around at the faded, very dated wallpaper and at the carpet, which was nearly thread bear and dreaded what the rooms would be like. She had grown accustomed to nicer surroundings now and had no desire to go back to sleeping in caves or dirty motels. She missed her little house in Santa Monica. Marko pulled out some money to pay for the rooms and she wondered where he’d got it, it must have come from the man he’d killed in Pahrump. They walked down the unlit hallway and entered one of the rooms.

‘Ugh, I need a smoke.’ Paul’s statement didn’t surprise her, he always needed a smoke. David went outside to have a cigarette with Dwayne following and Star watched Marko wrestle with the remote with a creased brow. She shook her head lightly to herself and she headed to the bathroom. She disappointedly looked around at the small cold room with its mouldy bathmat and the dirty shower curtain and decided against it. She felt tired and the familiar sickness again and she didn’t even want to think of what she needed to feel better. She felt like a drug addict needing a fix and she hated it. Laddie flashed in her head and she wondered if he was ok and a wave of tiredness washed over her. She left the bathroom and Paul offered her the smoke he’d just sparked up which she took, hoping it would make her forget and go to sleep quicker. Marko flicked her a disapproving look that had more a tinge of hate attached and she looked away. Spying the other key on the table she grabbed it and went to the other room but once she was alone, she felt empty and a bit scared. She curled up in a ball on the musty bedspread of the queen sized bed and closed her eyes, trying not to think of anything and within minutes, she was asleep.

_She was woken by someone shaking her and she was in the old Cave in Santa Carla on her old bed. It was light and she didn’t want to open her eyes but someone was trying to get her up. Straining to open her eyes, she saw a man standing over her._

_‘Star.’ The man said and her eyes focused on the man’s face._

_‘Laddie?’ She sat up. ‘Laddie, are you ok? What are you doing here?’ She was happy to see the boy but when she looked at what he was holding, her mood changed._

_‘Paybacks a bitch.’ He said as he charged towards her with a large stake._

She woke up after the nightmare in the horrible motel room, her breathing heavy. The room was dark but she knew it was still daylight and David was asleep beside her. She looked over at him and was strangely grateful he was there with her. She nestled in next to him and went back to sleep.


	39. Prove It - David's POV

David woke up to a dark room with Star curled up next to him. He rose and left the motel and went for a walk along the Boulevard, he needed to plan his next move and to think on his own. There was too much happening and the pressure of being pack leader had never weighed so heavily on his mind. His primary focus was on maintaining anonymity and keeping himself and his boys unknown and for the first time he didn’t have complete control over that. It was something he’d never been preoccupied about before but they had never been in this situation before. He walked further on and pulled out a cigarette. There were many people out on the street, the air was still warm from the day and he felt comfortable. Showgirls lined the casino entrances where people were celebrating their winnings and commiserating their losses, prostitutes and runaways littered the side streets, socialites were arriving in their Limos and Hummers to party and bright eyed tourists were wandering all over the place. People could and did disappear within seconds around here. He thought of staying there, it was a lot bigger than his Boardwalk with a whole lot more people to get lost in. Mobsters had always bought their enemies out to the desert to dispose of them and Vegas was notoriously dangerous, it was like it was built for the likes of him and his family. They would be there at least until he knew things had calmed down in Santa Carla. If only he could draw Edgar out here, it would make things so much easier, not that he was averse to doing things the hard way, he was just in an unusual predicament of needing to be extra careful. The way things stood at the moment, he wasn’t going to be hunting anyone associated with the California Police anytime soon. Edgar was going to have to wait. The anxiety he would feel knowing that David was out there and not knowing where they were or when they would reappear would be hell for him and that thought pleased David. The Police were lazy in Santa Carla, they always had been and David figured there would be a bigger news story before too long and Alan’s death would be all but forgotten about. They were in California after all, and they weren’t even searching specifically for David or the boys, it was Star they would be looking for. The owner of the unusual blood and the one connected to multiple homicides in Santa Monica, she was the one they’d be after. He wondered if she was on some Most Wanted list but her blood was really the most worrying thing to him. What they were was the thing he needed to keep most secret, that could not be allowed to get out and be known. Once it was linked to her, she wouldn’t be able to make a new life, that’s for sure. At least not as ‘Star’. A thought flashed in his head of her getting a new identity and he wondered again how genuine her love for him really was. He again thought of testing her commitment to him and how far she’d be willing to go to prove it. He crossed the street and found himself facing the answer to his question. It was the large glowing building from last night and it was both his next move and the challenge he needed for his girl. He would make her his wife. A marriage was easy in this town and in half of these places, they didn’t even check any ID, she wouldn’t be getting out of this one. A surge of energy filled him and he wanted to get back to the motel as soon as possible then he thought of the ring. It was a turquoise ring he’d been given by an old Indian chief, one that he’d held onto for nearly 60 years. The old man had told him that it should be given to his bride as it would ensure longevity in their relationship and David had found that amusing at the time as he was a vampire and no one would live as long as him but he liked the old man and had kept the ring, letting the man live, then when he saw Star he knew she would be the one he’d give it to. He had contemplating giving it to her many times but for some reason or another, he had resisted and had given her the necklace along with other trinkets instead. But now was the right time to finally present it to her and with that thought, he was gone.

It took him about an hour to get back to Santa Carla and as he flew over the Boardwalk, everything looked the same. It wasn’t as if there would be wanted posters of him or Star but he almost expected it to be somewhat different. He knew the boys would be pissed once they knew he’d come back here without them but this was something he had to do alone. He went straight to the Cave and approached the place with trepidation, the last thing he needed was to walk into the middle of a full scale investigation so he circled the cliff top and the entrance and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He took the chance and shot inside to find the ring and he instantly knew upon entering, that someone had been there. Their stuff had been scattered all over the place, someone had been here looking for something and as Edgar was the only one who knew they were there, he guessed it was him. He only hoped he’d been here alone. David ignored the intrusion and went into his room and that’s when he could ignore the intrusion no more, his personal stuff had been disturbed. This was something he would not stand for and he became alarmed at what may have been taken. Nobody came in this room, not even the boys. Star had been the only one to join him in this room and now, David’s sanctuary had been penetrated and he was pissed. David quickly searched the room to find all the things that actually meant something to him and found them all which calmed him and he focussed on finding what he had come for. In a hidden crack in the wall in the back of the room, he pulled out a small box and inspected the contents. There was an earring made for him by Star, an early 20th century coin Max had given him the night he had been turned, a chain his Mother had given him as a young teen and the turquoise ring. Smiling, he took both the ring and the earring out of the box and placed it back in the crack. He slipped the stainless steel and leather earring through his lobe and put the ring in his pocket and left the back room. Standing in the main room of the Cave, of his home, he became renewed in his desire to return and reclaim his territory. He wasn’t going to run and hide from anyone, especially from the likes of Edgar as he was far more powerful than Edgar even fathomed and he now knew what he was going to do. He would collect his boys and return to his home with his wife. Then just as soon as he had arrived, he left.

He arrived back at the motel to find Star alone, flicking through TV channels.

‘Where are the boys?’

‘I don’t know. They left and told me to stay here.’ She said back, distracted and not looking at him. She looked uncomfortable and as she spoke she sounded jittery. She looked like she needed to feed and he felt the ring in his pocket as he watched her.

‘How long ago did they leave?’

‘I don’t know, maybe an hour ago?’ She answered as she flicked on a news channel and began watching. David looked up at the screen and listened as the news anchor reported on the headlines. He spoke of the latest overseas trip of the President, a protest happening in Texas over a policeman shooting a local man and some celebrity had just had a baby but there was nothing about Alan or Laddie or her blood. He relaxed as the anchor moved onto the weather forecast and he looked back to Star who had dropped the remote and was now looking up at him. She looked tired and on edge.

‘Get ready.’ He said to her. ‘We’re going out.’ She looked at him for a minute before responding to him.

‘Where are we going?’ With his heart thumping in his chest, he handed her the ring before he spoke.

‘We’re going out Star…’ She was confused and she looked down at the ring again and then it clicked. A brief look of panic crossed her face and although she tried to hide it, he caught it straight away. She looked up at him.

‘Now?’

‘Come on.’ He urged her.

‘David…’

‘Star, if you love me like you say you do…’ He trailed off as he intensified his gaze on her and implied the rest of the sentence. The challenge had been laid out before her and he watched and waited for her reaction.


	40. Prove It - Star's POV

_Star was in a house that was all lit up on a large property near a wooded area. The bottom floor of the house was open plan and there were large sliding doors open to the warm summer air. The carpet was cream and brand new, the curtains were tied back and the glass light shades sparkled on the walls and as she walked around the room, she became aware of her long full dress with a sweetheart neckline. She was dressed like a 1900’s wealthy housewife and as she looked at everyone else, they were all dressed of the same era. There was a party happening with many people dancing and drinking and laughing. Paul was sitting entertaining a large group of people in the kitchen doing what Paul does best, while Marko danced the waltz with a beautiful girl in the lounge as her friends enviously looked on. Dwayne was sitting on the love seat very closely with a girl who was totally absorbed in what he was whispering to her and everyone seemed to be having a great time. The atmosphere was lively and fun and Star felt relaxed. She went outside and stood out on the deck and looked out across the field towards the lake in the distance when she felt someone stand close behind her._

_‘Are you ready?’ He said in his velvet tone. She turned and looked at David and she nodded and smiled. David turned guided her back into the house and motioned to both Marko and Dwayne who stopped what they were doing and stood. Paul appeared in the doorway and they all turned and began attacking everyone in the house. There were women screaming and people trying to run upstairs and outside and the boys were like a pack of dogs chasing tennis balls. It was a game and she could feel their excitement and the fun they were having in their activity. She looked around the room and there were people lying on the floor with blood soaking into the thick lush carpet and blood sprayed all over the walls. She felt blood splashed on her dress and she ran her hands through it and spun around and laughed. She was happy._

‘Star.’ She woke up to Paul shaking her shoulder. ‘Star, where’s David?’ She sat up and was a bit confused looking around the room. Paul and Dwayne stood before her and asked again where David was.

‘Um… I don’t know.’ She said.

‘We are going out, don’t go anywhere.’ They walked out of the room leaving her alone. The clock on the bedside table read 9.50pm. She’d slept longer than what she was expecting and her head was heavy from the dreams she’d had. Two in one night. She also felt sick and it was a sickness she knew and hated and it made her think of Laddie again and whether he was OK. She wanted to go and see him and tell him how sorry she was but she knew that wasn’t an option now and he would probably never want to see her again and that thought hurt her heart and she decided to have a shower. She found a clean towel and ventured into the bathroom, which was mildly better than the one next door. The water pressure was strong and the warm water made the sick feeling dissipate a bit but not completely. 20 minutes later she reluctantly got out of the shower and got dressed, silently cursing that the only outfit she had to wear made her look like David’s muse. David… Where was he? How long had he been gone? She suddenly realised her current freedom. No David compelling her to stay, no boys to stop her, no more vampires to run in to at any random parties. She could leave, become a new person and disappear. She wanted to leave, she needed to leave but she knew she would be severely punished and probably killed if she was found. What did she really have to live for anyways? With the unrelenting hunger pains in her, she feared she may lose control again so what kind of a life did she have to look forward to? She knew she had nowhere to go and she suspected she really couldn’t go anywhere and be OK. She hated this life and cursed that this was her reality again, it might as well be 20 years ago as she was in the exact same situation being reliant on David. She felt a wave of helplessness wash over her and again wondered if she should just give in and live out what seemed to be her fate. She needed to bide her time and find out if the Police were still actively looking for her before she decided what options she had available to her. She wondered how long she had before David or the boys came back. David... where the hell was he? She felt shaky and horrible and needed to distract herself from the desire to slaughter the other occupants in the motel so she grabbed the remote and began searching different channels to try and find a news station, when David walked through the door. Instantly she regretted her decision to stay and she fought the overwhelming instinct to run and she found, with him standing there in front of her, she was desperate for his blood and her breathing became staggered.

‘Where are the boys?’

‘I don’t know. They left and told me to stay here.’ She dared not look at him when she answered him in case he could read her thoughts. She continued to flip the channels to try to keep herself busy.

‘How long ago did they leave?’

‘I don’t know, maybe an hour ago?’ She finally found a news report and began watching it, eagerly awaiting something about her or Laddie but nothing was reported. The silence between them was deafening and she finally looked up at him and saw him looking down at her.

‘Get ready. We’re going out.’ He announced. She nervously considered his request and asked him where they were going. He said nothing but handed her a ring. She tentatively took it and looked at it. ‘We’re going out Star.’ Still confused, she looked at the ring for a few seconds and the fear surged through her at the understanding of what the gesture meant. She consciously tried to hide her reaction and failed miserably, she didn’t want to marry David. God, that was the last thing she wanted to do.

‘Now?’ She asked with panic in her voice.

‘Come on.’ He pressed.

‘David…’ She began, trying to buy some time. She hoped the boys would walk in and disturb them or the sky would fall or the ground would open up and swallow her. Anything to get her out of this. She felt far sicker than she had before and the ring felt like it was burning through her fingers as she held it.

‘Star, if you love me like you say you do…’ He cut her off and it was then she knew this was a test. He was testing her love for him was true and she felt like she was going faint. She could not fail and yet she felt like she already had. He stood in front of her and waited for her reply, not moving an inch and she had no idea what she was going to do.


	41. 'You Need Me.' - David's POV

To his slight surprise she agreed and got up and proceeded to get herself ready. She wasn’t bouncing off the walls with excitement, although he could tell her hunger was pulling at her like a pitbull and affecting her demeanour, but if her feeling was genuine, she would have some sort of positive reaction wouldn’t she? He tried to read her thoughts but found he was struggling to get a decent read from her and he wondered if he should let her feed from him, he’d easily read her then. She stood before him, her blonde hair curling slightly after her shower and in the heat of the desert air, and he saw a flash of his old Star and it made him smile. This was it, he was finally going to make her his again, not that he ever really felt that she wasn’t, but now it would be official.

‘I don’t have my ID, it was in my car.’ She stammered and he saw she was nervous.

‘You don’t need it.’ He answered and he held out his hand. ‘Come on.’ She looked at it and hesitated slightly before taking it and leaving the room. As soon as their fingers touched, he felt a flood of panic and dread coming from her and he knew her intention wasn’t pure, he knew the truth and it angered him. They exited the motel out into the shadowed street and he could hold it in no more, he turned and pulled her hand toward him and slapped her hard on the cheek. ‘Lying Bitch. Don’t you ever try to manipulate me!’ She didn’t have any choices anymore. ‘You are on thin ice as it is and you are going to try pull this shit?’ He was furious and he backhanded her across the other cheek. He could smell the blood leaking into her mouth and it made his stomach churn and his heart beat harder at the same time. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. ‘We are together Star. You and me whether you like it or not. We are going to get married and then we are returning to Santa Carla.’ He wanted to taste her blood and wanted her to be affected by his and he pulled her towards him and kissed her tasting the blood in her mouth before cutting his tongue again and making her take it. Her resistance was potent but weak and she folded quickly and he could soon feel her desperation for more of his blood which made him break his embrace leaving her wanting more. He took pleasure in watching her pupils constrict mere inches away from him. ‘You need me.’ He said powerfully. ‘Say it. You need me.’ He stayed absolutely still and stared straight into her eyes.

‘I need you.’ She finally conceded saying the words he wanted to hear. He smiled at his domination of her and grabbed her wrist and pulled her across the road to the large white building flushed in white lights. They entered the reception and there were flowers in differing shades of pink, white and peach in large white vases around the walls and a couple were sitting and waiting for their turn to get married, with their friends in tow. David approached the girl behind the desk and her eyes lit up when she looked up at him.

‘Can I help you?’ She said smiling.

‘I need the next appointment, what can you do for me?’ He said quietly, laying his influence on thick with his blue eyes sparkling. It seemed strange to be flirting with someone while booking in for a wedding but this was Vegas and David would use anything to get what he wanted. He ignored the disgruntled couple moaning that it was their turn next and when one of their friends got up to say something to him, David shot him a look and the man backed off and sat down again.

‘Unfortunately we are fully booked…’ The girl smiled as she spoke but she stopped when he reached up and touched her chin.

‘I’m sure you can do something for me….’ He coerced her and she briefly looked over at Star, who was engrossed watching the wedding going on in the next room, then back to David who smiled at her. She shyly looked down and said she would see what she could do for him. Within minutes, she had rearranged her bookings and was asking David and Star to sign a form. ‘Is there somewhere private we could wait?’ David asked and she showed them into a small room off the hallway. He observed Star as she stood away from him looking at the floor. She was transparent to him now and she looked submissive and defeated. All he needed now was to hammer the final nail in her coffin and then she was tied up tighter than a fly in a spider’s web. She would literally have no choice but to turn after this but regardless of this being his wedding, he was not in a very loving mood. He looked at her and he could just as easily slaughter her as marry her but he rolled his eyes away and consoled himself with the thought he would feed after this, he would take pleasure in tearing someone from limb to limb. He needed a stress release right now and he thought of his boys and wondered where they were so he called for them and his mood was mitigated when he received a charged response from Paul that they were on their way. ‘Come here.’ He looked back at her and she did as he wished without hesitation but she still did not look at him. He wanted her to want him, to need him, and the quickest way for her to do that was for her to feed. He waited until she engaged in eye contact before he spoke again and as she irrevocably did, he nicked the vein in his neck and required her to drink. He watched her take in the site of the blood dribbling down his neck and her eyes involuntarily dilated and he got an intense sense of satisfaction at her inability to resist when she latched onto him and quickly became seemingly dependant on his blood. She had failed in her resolve to be strong and defiant against him and she placed her hands on his arms to regain her balance and in a strange way the closeness and intimacy of her sucking helped relax him more. ‘You need me Star. You know it and I know it.’ His voice made her jolt and he realised just how much his blood was affecting her. He could tell she was making a conscious effort to stop herself and she was struggling with it, she was fragile with him and that’s exactly what he wanted. He knew he would break the strong willed girl on the treadmill and make her his again. He caught her eye as she broke away from him and he maintained the eye contact with her, holding her there. ‘Say it.’ He made her say it again, she would say it until she was convinced of it. ‘You need me.’

‘I need you.’ She repeated to him.

‘Now, believe it, because you won’t survive without me.’ He instilled the sentiment into her before the lady came in to collect them. David was ready, he’d waited his whole vampire life for this and here it was. She was his and she would never get away again. Once they were married there would be no use in resisting and she would relent on turning. Laddie suddenly flashed in his head but he dropped the thought and grabbed her wrist as they were guided into the ceremony room. Max had never taught David of any specific rituals associated with a vampire union other than the sharing of blood, which they had just done. He guessed he would have found out for sure had Max and Lucy had actually got married but that was a long time ago now. David didn’t really care for tradition but he did want his boys here with him.

The celebrant arrived and again he felt the panic rise in her and he saw her look around rather frantically. He smiled at her and he saw her breathing quicken as she saw a detached Dwayne, a jovial Paul and a dead serious Marko walk through the door. Their presence made the celebrant nervous and the coordinator just about fall over.

‘You didn’t think I wouldn’t have my boys here did you?’ He chided her. ‘They are our family and we need witnesses, after all.’ He looked over at his boys and they returned mixed emotions back to him. Paul was happy, this was an excuse to party and they were in sin city itself. This couldn’t get any better for him. Dwayne was aloof yet approving of David’s decision, some solidification of Star’s and David’s relationship would either calm David down or make him the worst he had ever been. He wasn’t sure, but either way, it was going to be interesting. Marko, however, looked salty. In fact he was right pissed, this was not how this was supposed to go. He hated the appeal Star held for David, and his need to own her. Marko was firm in his conclusion that she should be tortured and left to rot. Her wedding to his leader was not something he wanted to be a part of. David recognised his brother’s disapproval but David would do whatever he wanted regardless of his brother’s wishes. He would deal with Marko later.

The celebrant began his service and although he couldn’t wait for it to be over, David was enjoying the seal this was putting on his relationship with her and the increase of power this was giving him intrinsically.


	42. 'You Need Me.' - Star's POV

The longer she took to react, the worse it was becoming and she knew she had to do something now.

‘I do, I do love you.’ She said and she rose and began to get ready, her mind racing to find a way out or an excuse to leave and not do this. She sat on the bed and put her boots on and then stood to put her jacket on. They were the only clothing she had and definitely not what she wanted to get married in. Maybe she should make a fuss over that? That she didn’t want to get married wearing this, she didn’t want to get married at all but if she was going to have to go through with it, it would not be looking like this. She didn’t even have her favourite lipstick or jewellery or perfume and her hair wasn’t how she wanted it. It was even slightly curly. It was all wrong, she couldn’t get married like this. Then it dawned on her, she didn’t even have any ID. She really couldn’t get married. Her heart lifted with this realisation.

‘I don’t have my ID, I left it in my car.’ She told him with relief.

‘You don’t need it.’ He answered and held out his hand to her. ‘Come on.’ Her chest tightened and she froze for a second, feeling the heat of his glare upon her. Very reluctantly she took his hand and he led her out of the room, her head was spinning and she felt out of control. She didn’t want to marry him. Walking out of the building and into the dark street she became acutely aware of the tension that was pouring off him and that she was walking hand in hand with an irate vampire then she suddenly became very conscious of her thoughts but it was too late. They were all alone on the street when she was pulled sharply to the side and slapped hard across the face and when she looked at her assailant she saw a fully turned vampire standing in front of her. ‘Lying Bitch!’ He roared at her. ‘Don’t you ever try to manipulate me! You are on thin ice as it is and you are going to try pull this shit?’ He backhanded her across the other cheek splitting her lip and she stumbled back away from him. David had never hit her before, he was really angry and she was terrified. She tasted blood in her mouth and she wanted to scream and run but she was too scared to do either, she dared not look at him lest he see exactly how scared she was as she could feel the rage being projected at her. He roughly grabbed her face and forced her to look at him and it was in sharp contrast of the last time he’d gently lifted her chin and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. ‘We are together Star. You and me whether you like it or not. We are going to get married and then we are returning to Santa Carla.’ Still holding her face, he kissed her hard and pushed his tongue inside her mouth and she was shocked to find his blood filling her cheeks. The fear and revolt she was feeling was quickly overtaken by her underlying hunger she had and, as conflicted as she felt, she had no choice but to swallow the thick warm liquid before he unexpectedly broke the connection. She wanted more, she hated herself for it but she couldn’t help it. She wanted more. He watched her closely and saw her reaction to his action.

‘You need me.’ He stared into her soul. ‘Say it. You need me.’

‘I need you.’ She regretted saying it as soon as the words left her lips but she felt like she was powerless. He smiled his crooked superior smirk and rudely pulled her with him across the main drag and to the glowing building and her thoughts began to clear. Did he say Santa Carla? He can’t be serious. She wasn’t going back to Santa Carla. Why would he want to go back there?

They walked in the entrance and there were a few people already waiting but they all went quiet when David walked in. She wondered if she had any blood on her and began wiping her face. There was already a ceremony in process in the next room and the door was ajar so as David spoke to the bookings girl, Star glanced inside the room to get a feel for what she was about to do. The bride was in a gorgeous white princess gown with baby’s breath in her immaculately styled hair and the most beautiful dark pink bouquets all around the room. The room didn’t look anything like the sort of place David would feel comfortable getting married in, but thinking about it she couldn’t imagine him ever getting married anywhere, and nor was it anywhere where she felt like she deserved to get married in, especially looking the way she did. She turned to see a man stand up behind her who looked like he was making an aggressive move toward David but he was encouraged to sit again with one of David’s looks and Star looked back inside to room as the bride and groom were asked to kiss, the room erupting in cheers. She then realised she had no one to celebrate her union with, not that this was really something to celebrate, but it still felt odd. Even Laddie being here would feel more normal. She was surprised David didn’t have the boys here with him, but quietly she was grateful he didn’t, he didn’t need any encouragement at the moment. She watched the guests stand to congratulate the happy couple, all happy and supportive. The bride’s family were hugging and crying and the groom’s mother stood with a huge smile and clapped her hands. Wait, she looked familiar. Did Star know her? Was that Lucy? She watched the bride and groom walk down the aisle through the waving arms and confetti. Was Sam getting married? Her heart hurt as she began to search for some recognition of the groom and when she got it, her heart stopped. It was Sam. She began to feel sick and she closed her eyes. She knew they hadn’t seen her so as long as David didn’t see them, everything would be fine. She opened her eyes again to see the room emptying out into the adjoining reception room and she looked directly at Edgar who was staring wide eyed at her from across the room. Oh My God, it couldn’t be. This was insanity. He wasn’t here, he couldn’t be here. For an instant they just stared at each other motionless and a million things went through her mind. Would Edgar react? Would David see him? Would this be her chance to get out of this? Would this be the end? But Edgar just watched her as the room became quiet around him.

‘Could you sign here please?’ Star was addressed by the coordinator and the girl smiled as Star signed but Star did not return the expression. David had obviously compelled his way into the next ceremony time despite the people already waiting all dressed in suits and gowns. David pulled on her wrist and they were led to a small room down the hall and left alone. She was nervous he would hit her again as he still hadn’t calmed down from her perceived betrayal so she stood there silently refusing to look at him and thought about Edgar and the potential trouble that he posed. Should she disclose this information or hope that Edgar would succeed in his quest to kill all vampires.

‘Come here.’ He ordered her and she stepped closer to him, feeling his authoritarian look over her. The thick atmosphere was too much and she looked up at him to see him slice his neck and she followed the gentle flow of blood down his neck. ‘Drink.’ He demanded. Too much was happening and she felt like she couldn’t keep up. Why did he keep doing this to her? Her eyes went from his neck to his face and she instantly knew this was not a time to question or defy him. She looked back at his neck and found as she focussed on the blood it centred her and drew her in. She ran her tongue along the length of the drip and closed her mouth over the wound trying to control the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. She tried not to even touch him with any other part of her body as she could feel her submission was what he wanted. The longer she sucked on him though, the more drunk on his blood she felt and the dizzier she began to get and she needed to hold on to his arms to steady herself. ‘You need me Star. You know it and I know it.’ He said in his smooth deep voice and the sound made her release from him and she attempted to look away but she was unable. ‘Say it.’ He insisted again and she again felt like she had no choice. What was he doing?

‘I need you.’ She hated herself for saying it.

‘Now, believe it, because you won’t survive without me.’ It was a warning interrupted by the lady telling them they were ready. Star knew now this was her fate, she was meant to be with him and any resistance was futile. Well, at least it was right now. She knew she was stronger than this but she literally could see no way out. She could make a scene and try and leave that way but in the back of her mind, she knew if David wasn’t going to kill her himself, Marko was just waiting for the go ahead and, knowing Marko, he may not even wait for that. David’s hand again wrapped around her wrist and they walked into the ceremony room she’d seen Edgar in a moment before. They had tidied up the confetti and lit some candles that were scattered around the room, totally changing the atmosphere and making it far more David like. They’d taken out all but one vase of flowers and replaced them with white lilies. White Lilies. David used to leave her a single white lily in the very beginning of their courtship when he would leave her after a night together and he’d disappear for the day, things seemed so simple back then and the symbol that they represented to her made her sad. She wondered where Edgar had gone but she saw no trace of him.

The celebrant came in the room and looked at the two of them then over at the coordinator who nodded her head. Star began to look around for something to help her escape and saw David smile at her which didn’t make her feel any better when suddenly the door burst open and Dwayne, Paul and Marko came in and she just about began to hyperventilate.

‘You didn’t think I wouldn’t have my boys here did you? They are our family and we need witnesses, after all.’ Star closed her eyes at the confirmation that this was actually going to happen. This was almost worse than turning for her right now, he had trapped her and this was it. She was supposed to have been here and done this with Michael and here she was surrounded by the demons of the night. Her demons.

‘We gather here tonight to celebrate in the joining of these two lives…’ The old man began and Star went numb.


	43. Celebration - David's POV

Despite David’s disinterest in mortal customs and traditions, marriage was actually something he had held onto since his transition to a vampire. Once he had been turned though, he had figured this was something that would not be afforded to him, it wasn’t until he’d met Star and had inducted her into his world that he thought this could actually still be a possibility. The current circumstances weren’t quite as right as they should be and he knew that this was a bit forced but it was what it was and he was going to go through with it. And so was she. He was going to finalise a few things in his existence and if they couldn’t be locked down, they would no longer exist in his world so that made his interest in this particular ceremony higher than usual. He watched her reaction to the procedure and she appeared to be rather vacant and distant to it all but she still answered the questions asked of her and she responded to when he pulled her to him to seal the deal with a kiss. Her mind may have been spinning but her body told him all he needed to know, and knowing she was now his for life fully aroused him. He had tied her tighter to him and he knew eventually she would succumb once again to those hunger pains he knew were taunting her. The celebrant wasn’t happy with the fact David did not wear a ring but one look from David and he dropped it, allowing the ceremony to proceed with only Star wearing one. He didn’t need a ring for her to know he was her man but he wanted the rest of the world to know she was his. Yet another double standard he enjoyed.

Paul and Dwayne instantly congratulated them but Marko stood back and watched his brothers with a mixture of interest and disdain, he was happy David was happy but he hated the reason why. As Paul was officially welcoming Star to the family, David shot Marko a look to which Marko could not ignore and he reluctantly got up and showed his respect for his leader but he was visibly disturbed by it. David was not in the mood for any insubordination from anyone tonight and Marko quickly picked up on it, yet at the same time David was pleased at the evening’s events so far which made his mood flippant and erratic and Marko couldn’t decipher why.

‘Let’s go celebrate boys’. David said and they left the building. It was like a weight was lifted off David’s shoulders and it was time to go play.

‘I think this calls for shots.’ Paul said excitedly and headed for an underground club down the street. Perfect, David thought, drinks were definitely in order and this place looked ideal for them right now. Star was apprehensive but it was irrelevant what Star thought at the moment, she was firmly his property now and she would come with him regardless. Paul couldn’t have found a more suitable place for them to congregate and they quickly found a booth in the back and settled in. David picked up on Star’s thoughts as they sat down and hearing Campbell’s name wound him up again.

‘You ever have another ‘boyfriend’ and I’ll do far worse than what I did to Campbell.’ He said to her. As content as David was he was still teetering on the edge and felt he could tip at any time, especially with her pushing him the way she was tonight. He needed to feed to settle him down but Paul appeared with shots and figured they may work just as well. Paul placed them around the table, telling Star to drink up as he placed one in front of her.

‘To the bride and groom. It was a long time coming but it’s finally happened..!’ Paul laughed as he drank his shot. David swallowed his, smiling, and watched Paul play with Star before he downed another. David needed to be around Paul right now, he was a welcome distraction. He always had been and that’s what David liked about him. He chose to ignore her mind chatter and tried to relax and soak in the atmosphere of the place. People were buzzing around in the darkness totally oblivious of the monsters that were right in front of them. He felt very predatory tonight and was struggling to repress the need and desire to hunt. Suddenly Star jumped up and bolted to the bathroom and he watched her go without moving and looked over at Paul.

‘Alright, whatcha got?’ 

‘About time! Now the party really begins!’ Paul sounded relieved as he pulled out a box of small sugar cubes from his jacket pocket. David became aware of Dwayne eyeballing him.

‘What’s with you tonight?’ Dwayne asked.

‘I don’t know... She’s lying to me… I need to feed…’ He said looking around the room. ‘I’m on edge.’ He finally met his brother’s eyes and Dwayne saw how close to the edge David really was. This was what Dwayne was afraid of and he was surprised to see it manifesting in David so soon.

‘This will help relax you!’ Paul said as he handed David a cube and David downed it without thinking twice.

‘She’s a Bitch. I don’t know why you…’ Marko spat but Paul interrupted him

‘This will help chill you out too…’ He said handing him his cube.

‘My brother…’ Dwayne held his hand out and Paul dropped one in his hand. David went to the bar and got a glass of water and brought it back to the table.

‘Put one in here.’ He told Paul and Paul just looked at him. ‘Let’s fuck her up.’ David rarely allowed this and when he did, Paul obliged, dropping one in the glass and they watched it dissolve.

Star had been gone a while and David zoned in on her thoughts to find her contemplating how to covertly get out of there.

‘Dwayne, go get her.’ David ordered and Dwayne left to go find her.

‘Dave man…’ Marko started

‘I don’t want to hear it.’ He cut him off and knocked another shot back. ‘I know what I’m doing and, right now, I just wanna get wasted.’ He looked over at Marko.

‘Yeeeeaaah…’ Paul agreed and slammed another shot in front of the three of them. It wasn’t long before the E began to kick in for them and kick in it did. All of their eyes ballooned and they began to melt into the booth couches. They were feeling good and it wasn’t long before the boys began to attract various admirers and girls began to circle like vultures around the table, with Paul entertaining them with drinks and his boyish charm. Marko was still very much David’s disciple and David really thought of him like a protective little brother who wasn’t interested in anyone who would distract David from being a vampire, which David found endearing about him. Star’s betrayal had really done a number on him and David could not forget that. Dwayne took a while before he returned with Star but once he did, he sat down and he had a girl sitting on his knee almost instantly. He had his way with the ladies, he was like a magnet but looking the way he did, David wasn’t surprised. David didn’t take his eyes off Star as she surveyed what was happening at the table and when her eyes finally met his, her face changed and she nervously sat down next to him.

‘Planning on slipping away are you?’ He scrutinized every minute facial movement she made as he asked her and she answered.

‘No’

‘Liar.’ He looked away from her. ‘Don’t bother, you’ll never slip away again.’ He said dismissively and again he felt like he would snap at any moment and do something spontaneously. He grabbed her hand and felt his ring firmly around her trembling finger and it made him feel like he had another form of power over her. He was pissed, but it was an underlying anger. She was lying to him, she was not genuine in her desire to be with him or to be like him but she would either deal with it now or die from it. It was like his anger and revenge laden feelings towards her were back. His thoughts of torture and retribution from when he first saw her on the treadmill were flooding through his brain.

‘She’s back! This calls for another one!’ Paul broke his train of thought and for the moment he was grateful. They downed another one and yet another and everyone was well on their way and David could see Star was becoming intoxicated. It was time.

‘I got you a water.’ He told her pushing the glass towards her, the E had hit the boys fairly quickly so he knew it would nail her to the wall real fast. Paul was on fire tonight and was in his element making the whole table laugh and was lightening David up by the second and the higher David felt, the more he was casting his negative angry feelings aside and embracing the physical desire the drug was inducing. He stood and pulled his wife to her feet and walked her out to the centre of the dancefloor and began dancing with her. Having her moving against his body in the darkness and the way she felt, the way she smelled, made him want her there and then. Maybe it wasn’t blood he was desiring, maybe it was a fuck, an explicit, animalistic fuck to release his pent up fury and to instil in her his position in her life. Maybe he wanted both or maybe it was just the drug. Whatever it was, he was horny as fuck. Suddenly he became aware it was hitting her and it was hitting her like a tonne of bricks. She looked up at him and he swore he could actually see her pupils dilating in front of him. He turned her around and wrapped his arms around her waist as he rubbed up against her body and she began to run her hands over his and up his arms as she lay her head back against him. Everywhere she touched him felt electric, like tiny electric shocks were being emitted from her fingertips. He placed his chin in the crook of her neck and she ran her hand down across his cheek then, without warning, she spun around to look at him and he saw how smashed she was and he couldn’t help but smile at her.

‘What have you done to me?’ She was so high she could barely speak and he laughed and glanced over at Paul who responded with a knowing shrug. He looked at Dwayne whose face was buried in a girl’s chest then over to Marko.

‘Quality.’ Marko said in passing, looking at Star then back to David. ‘You’re in for a good night.’ He laughed and David’s heart surged. He looked back at her and she was looking around at all the boys trying to put it together.

‘Liquid E.’ He told her watching her reaction and her face slowly began to turn from confusion to panic and she began to freak out. He grabbed her and held her but she began fighting against him, and she was resisting to the point where she was making a scene and drawing much unwanted attention. Before David knew it she was becoming slightly hysterical and the club’s security was descending on him. David grabbed her and forcibly guided her up the stairs and out onto the street before the cops were called but it was too late. There were two officers outside the front entrance dealing with another incident that was occurring and Star and David had just burst into the middle of it, both of them off their faces. 

‘Whoa… Are you OK?’ The officer asked Star and David’s mood flipped again.

‘She’s fine.’ Despite the rage this was inciting in him, David tried to control himself and remain calm while he tried to pull her away from the police. This was the last thing he needed right now. It was totally ruining his buzz and without that, he was one intolerant vampire.

‘I was asking her.’ The cop’s attitude and intense interest in Star was not helping and David was going to have to try and manipulate them out of this, Star wasn’t calming down though and was still demanding to get out of there and pulling and fighting against him. This night was rapidly turning to shit.

‘What have you taken?’ The officer asked her and David answered, making the officer annoyed and David impatient. This cop just needed to fuck off and mind his own business.

‘Nothing, she’s just a bit upset, that’s all. I’m her husband and I’m going to take her home.’ David replied.

‘Is this your husband?’ The officer asked her and David watched her stop and look at him and then at the officer.

The officer then got on his radio saying he had a public intoxication issue and began to pull out his handcuffs.

‘That’s what I said, isn’t it?’ David had had enough and had to put this to an end. He grabbed her and pulled her behind him. ‘She is not going with you.’ He said flatly and the officer stood eye to eye with David and saw the seriousness of David’s comment. As David stared the officer down, he heard his boys coming up the entrance stairs and his confidence grew. The look on the officer’s face when he saw them all stand behind David told David he was way out of his comfort zone and when he turned to his partner and told him to call for back up, David laughed and made the officer shrink.

‘Star, chill out. You’re going to be OK. We just gotta go home.’ Paul tried to distract her from the police but she was spinning. This shit had been way too strong for her and he was regretting giving it to her. Another police car pulled up next to them and David was just about ready to fly off in front of them. A tall arrogant officer began demanding David let her go and that they all sit on the curb and he wanted ID from all of them and Star freaked. She struggled harder and slipped out of David’s hands and she gunned it down the street.

‘Fuck! Star!’ David called and he tried to go after her but the large officer grabbed him, stopping him from going anywhere. David was fuming and if they were not out in the open, the guy wouldn’t have a head. The other officers had grabbed both Paul and Dwayne but Marko, however, had managed to bolt, along with the last police officer, after her. If Marko caught her, he was going to rip her apart, regardless of whether he was in public or not. The officer was hot on Marko’s tail though and as soon as they went down the empty side street that she had, they saw her getting into a car. Marko was too late and was now as angry as all fuck then he turned and grabbed the officer and he was off into the dark sky. The officer was dead before he even knew what had happened to him.


	44. Celebration - Star's POV

She didn’t remember saying ‘I do’ or anything else the celebrant said, she’d just gone numb to everything happening around her and it was like she had stepped out of her head during the ceremony to spare herself of the harsh reality of what she was doing. She felt like she had missed the whole thing and now she was being asked to kiss her husband. Her husband. It was a bad dream, a nightmare she couldn’t wake from. David wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him and kissed her deeply and she felt she was obliged to return the kiss lest she be hit again. He rubbed up against her as he kissed her and she felt he was hard, reminding her of yet another expectation that came with this ceremony, her heart beat painfully in her chest and she swallowed thickly as things began to swirl uncomfortably around her. Paul came and welcomed her to the family while Dwayne swiftly kissed her on the cheek before congratulating David but Marko leaned against the wall and stared daggers at her but then, just as quickly, he changed and came over and congratulated them both.

‘Let’s go celebrate boys’. The way he said it made her think this was more about him and his boys than him and her but this didn’t exactly surprise her and she wondered if it really mattered whether it was her or some other girl he had married, he probably would have reacted the same. She felt insignificant, just like an accessory to him. It was a feeling she was familiar with when she was with David, although he had been more interested in her in the past month than he had been in decades but she hoped his focus would move off her now and she could fade off his radar a bit only she feared now being his wife, would make him worse.

David’s mood seemed to have lifted from before the ceremony and, in turn, so had the rest of the boys. They exited the white building and almost immediately Paul spotted a nightclub entrance.

‘I think this calls for shots.’ He said, ignoring the large burly security guard at the top of the stairs and he began walking down the dark staircase and into a cave like room below. She sensed tonight was going to be a wild ride, with the boys making the most of their time in Las Vegas and she wondered if they knew about David’s plan to return to Santa Carla. They found a booth table down the back and sat down, the music was loud and the swirling lights and energy of the place suited the four of them down to the ground. To her surprise though, it suited her also. It was somewhere she could hide in the dark and not talk to anyone just like she used to before David had found her again, back when she was with Campbell. She forced his name out of her head as soon as she thought it though, she didn’t need David picking up on that, but it was too late.

‘You ever have another ‘boyfriend’ and I’ll do far worse than what I did to Campbell.’ He leaned over and warned her, with glimmers of red streaking though his irises as he spoke. He was attuned to everything she was thinking right now and it made her feel uncomfortable. Paul disappeared and within minutes was placing shot glasses filled with a black liquid down in front of everyone.

‘Drink up girl.’ He said as he raised his glass and waited for the others to raise theirs. ‘To the bride and groom. It was a long time coming but it finally happened..!’ The boys all knocked theirs back and Paul glared at her playfully until she did the same. The dark liquor burned her throat. Sambuca. This was going to be a long night.

‘Another!’ Paul demanded and presented another round instantly and it was then she realised he had a whole tray of them ready and he placed another one in front of her. They all drank, including her, and it really began to sink in for her. She looked at the ring on her finger that was making a universal symbol to the world. She was married, married to David. David was now her husband. How did this even happen? Where did she go so wrong that she went from being a strong, fit, independent woman back to the weak, submissive, pathetic possession again? Only now she was married to her captor and had an underlying need for his blood. It was sick. She felt sick. In fact she was going to be sick. She got up and bolted to the bathroom and vomited.

‘Are you alright?’ A girl asked her through the bathroom stall door.

‘Yeah,’ Star gasped, ‘I just got married.’ She managed to say before vomiting again.

‘Oh, well that can happen in this town.’ The girl laughed as she walked out of the bathroom. Star pulled herself together and sat on the toilet seat. She sat there for ages and she didn’t want to go back out there, she didn’t want to go and sit with them and celebrate her recent ordeal. She wondered if she could leave without them seeing but as soon as she left the bathroom, she found Dwayne waiting outside. He escorted her back to the booth where she found many empty shot glasses on the table and a few girls hovering around and David watched her like a hawk with Marko sitting next to him, although Marko was looking like he’d chilled out a bit now which perplexed her. As soon as Dwayne sat down, a girl in a very short skirt sat on his lap and he placed his arm around her leg, he really was a man whore but looking around, they all were. Even Marko had his arm around a girl who was sitting on the other side of him and Star thought that maybe that was the reason he was happier until she finally met David’s gaze and was greeted with pure black saucers with barely a ring of blue visible and her suspicions were confirmed. She carefully sat down next to him and he watched her the entire time. Obviously Paul had provided some party favours to the boys while she was in the bathroom

‘Planning on slipping away are you?’ He asked without blinking. His eyes were huge and he looked savage and unpredictable.

‘No’ she answered quietly.

‘Liar. Don’t bother, you’ll never slip away again.’ He was flipping from being content and laughing to threatening and scary on a dime. He was worse than a bipolar and she didn’t know how to feel, other than uneasy. He then slipped his hand into hers reminding her of the ring that was firmly wrapped around her wedding finger.

‘She’s back! This calls for another one!’ Paul announced to the table and she knew Paul well enough that any excuse was a good excuse for Paul to drink. By now there were about a dozen people surrounding them, some for the free drinks and some for the boys but most were interested in the strange atmosphere they were creating. The party was well under way and Star felt she had no choice but to drink with them, maybe it would make her relax and not feel so anxious and after another two shots the alcohol was definitely affecting her and she began to feel a bit dizzy.

‘I got you a water.’ David said pushing a glass towards her. She was grateful and, her clouded judgement made her ignore her gut instinct not to take anything from him and she took it. She’d been taking shots from Paul so she figured it couldn’t be as bad as that unless it was pure vodka but it smelled clear to her so she drank it. As soon as she swallowed it though, she thought it tasted a bit funny, almost sweet, but she put that down to the Sambuca taste still being in her mouth and she finished the rest of it.

The boys were laughing and socializing and having a great night, Dwayne was making out on the back seat of the booth with yet another girl while Paul sat on a stool with two girls hanging off him and Marko was off on the dance floor dancing with his arms around a dark haired girl. Star began to relax a little and found herself starting to enjoy the randomness that was happening around her. David pulled her to her feet and led her to the middle of the dance floor with him and began slow dancing with her. He never danced with her but she was feeling quite detached to the event so she went with it and it actually felt nice to dance in the darkness. She didn’t feel like she was on display like she did at the table and she didn’t feel like he was angry with her anymore and the coloured lights flashing and spinning around the room provided a nice camouflage for her. The longer she was out there with him, the lighter her head was feeling and the less she was finding she could focus on anything. She was feeling a bit wasted, no she was feeling a lot wasted. In fact, she was feeling down right smashed. Why was she so smashed? And this wasn’t a puff of a joint smashed either, this was class A smashed but she had only drank four shots and the glass of water. The water, it must have been the water. Was something in the water? Would they do that to her? Wait, of course they would. Paul would slip anybody anything if it served him a purpose, even if it was just for entertainment, but he wouldn’t do it to her without David’s approval. She looked up at David and he was looking down at her expressionless and he spun her around so he was behind her. The room was spiralling around her and everything she touched felt like velvet. The bass seemed louder and deeper and she began running her hands over her face to try and clear her head but found she began melting into his body and, as she lay her head back on him, he nuzzled his chin into her neck. She closed her eyes and felt his arms around her and again they felt like satin or silk and she reached around and stroked the side of his stubbled cheek and he felt amazing. She didn’t want to let him go but her worsening state was alarming her and she spun around and looked up at him and he was smirking at her with his crooked smile.

‘What have you done to me?’ She managed to get out through her clenched teeth and David laughed and looked over towards Paul triumphantly.

‘Quality’ Marko laughed as he passed them on his way back to the table. ‘You’re in for a good night.’ He said looking from her back to David before disappearing into the crowd. She looked over at Dwayne and saw him smiling and she knew they were all out of it. Glancing over at Paul, she saw him going from kissing one girl to another and she knew what it was. E. It had to be an E, but she didn’t take a pill?

‘Liquid E’ David answered her unspoken question and his voice sounded like a smooth deep echo in her head. This was strong, she’d done E when she was young but nothing like this. This shit was crazy strong, over poweringly so. This was insane and as the minutes passed her heart began to beat faster and she felt like she was beginning to freak out. The more she reacted, the harder David was holding on to her and the harder he held onto her the more frantic she was becoming. She thought she was going to be sick and she felt like everyone was watching her. She had to get out of the place and suddenly David practically picked her up and headed up the stairs. She was struggling against him and screaming for him to let her go as they reached the door and they stumbled straight into a police officer who was out the front of the club.

‘Whoa… Are you OK?’ The officer asked her.

‘She’s fine.’ David responded, attempting to pull her away from the scene.

‘I was asking her.’ The cop almost ignored David and focussed his attention on her.

‘I wanna get out of here.’ She was repeatedly pulling out of David’s grip but he kept holding on to her. She was very agitated and making the police officer more and more concerned in what was wrong with her, or what she was running from.

‘What have you taken?’ The officer asked Star, trying to calm her down.

‘Nothing, she’s just a bit upset that’s all. I’m her husband and I’m going to take her home.’ David again answered him.

‘Is this your husband?’ The officer asked her. This question made her stop and look directly at David and then back to him. The officer then saw exactly how big her eyes were and he got on his radio saying he had a public intoxication issue and began to pull out his handcuffs.

‘That’s what I said, isn’t it?’ David was beginning to give him attitude. ‘She is not going with you.’ David then had the officer’s attention then and the officer also saw the demeanour and state of David. Just then the rest of the boys stumbled outside and their jovial moods changed upon seeing what was happening outside the entrance. The officer’s eyes widened, suddenly it had gone from being a simple girl being too drunk for him to deal with to five people in varying states of intoxication who did not look all that keen on interacting with the law or being told what to do and he turned to his partner and told him to call for back up. The gravity of this situation was becoming too much for Star, especially with her history in Santa Monica and she was becoming near hysterical again. Paul said something to her but she didn’t listen, she was desperate to get out of there and try to come down a bit, to be able to think straight.

A second police car showed up and a large authoritative man began trying to take control of the situation and she snapped. She slipped out of David’s grip and bolted down the street. She heard the commotion she’d left behind and heard someone chasing after her so she ran as fast as she could down a side street and ran straight into a man getting into his car.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her a bit concerned and she got into his car.

‘Go!’ She screamed, breathless. ‘I gotta get out of here. Please?’ Thinking she was being chased, he started his car and they took off.


	45. Irreparable Damage - David's POV

The cop wasn’t having any of the stalling or attitude that David and the boys were giving him and David was dishing out plenty, much to Paul’s delight. He loved it when David was sticking it to any authority figure and encouraged him to do more when he started. None of them had fed and David was ready to snap well before this had all gone down and now he was being told what to do by a power hungry cop? David was ropable but at the same time he was enjoying giving the cop assholes, it totally suited his mood. Star had disappeared and he couldn’t exactly tell the cop that he had to go and find his new wife because she was a half vampire who was pretty close to needing to feed and was liable to lose control, especially with her being off her face on some incredibly strong ecstasy. As it was, they had searched Paul and found a substantial amount of weed and had managed to handcuff him and arrested him on possession and had placed him in the back of a Police car, much to David’s surprise but Paul was too out of it to put up too much of a fight. They were trying to search Dwayne, who was calling them faggots and putting up a struggle as they tried to place their hands in the pockets of his jeans and the large cop was busy telling David how much trouble him and his idiot friends were in. David was literally biting his tongue not to tear the guy in half right there and instead just smiled at the cop and said nothing.

‘Where’s Andy?’ Asked one of the cops holding onto Dwayne.

‘I don’t know, I thought he’d be back by now.’ Said the other one wrestling with Dwayne’s jacket. That made David think of Marko, who he thought would have Star by now, and he tapped into his thoughts.

‘Where are you? Have you got her?’ He asked Marko.

‘Nah, she got into a car with some dude and took off. I couldn’t get them. I got the cop though.’ Marko replied laughing. What dude? What the fuck? His rage enveloped him again and the noxiousness within him returned and he immediately tapped into her thoughts.

‘If you don’t come back now, you will regret it. I mean it Star.’ He waited but got no response and he wasn’t actually surprised, she would have heard him though. The problem with hard drugs was they interrupted the telepathic communication process and this only proved to make him more belligerent towards the cops and the large officer had had enough. With no cooperation from David or Dwayne in producing any ID, they’d found none on Paul either, the large officer forced Dwayne in the back of one car with Paul and pushed David in the back of the other car and reported in that they were bringing in three and officer, A Petersen #53753, had gone in pursuit of the fourth and requested another car to follow up. David smiled upon hearing this and the cop caught it.

‘If you know where your friend is, it’s in your best interests to tell me.’ The cop said with a sigh.

‘And it’s in your best interest to get the fuck out of my face and to let us go.’ David shot back.

‘Well, that ain’t happening.’ The cop turned and prepared to drive them off. ‘We’ll find him. The officer who went after him is one of the best on the Vegas force.’ Again David chuckled. ‘Shut up!’ The cop spat frustrated at David’s attitude and he started the car.

It was around half three in the morning, the clubs had all closed and the streets had begun to thin out, especially down towards the cop station near the western end of the boulevard. The street became darker being surrounded by the desert hills and this suited David well. The cars conveniently came to a stop at a red light with David and the large cop in the car behind the one holding Paul and Dwayne.

Suddenly the mutilated body of the missing officer was dropped onto the front of the large officer’s car, his face slamming into the windscreen making the cop swear out loud. At roughly the same time, Paul tore the cage inside their car open and he and Dwayne attacked the two officers in charge of their transportation, splattering blood and brain matter all over the car. The large officer was shaking as he reached for his RT and began to try to report in. He looked behind at David who sat calmly in the back seat watching and not moving and the cop was incredulous. He turned back around to see Marko standing illuminated by his headlights and Paul and Dwayne standing either side of his car, all of them smeared in blood.

‘What the fuck is going on?’ He said panicking.

‘I told you, it was in your best interest to let us go.’ David repeated over his shoulder and he turned to see David in full vampire form staring at him before he launched at the cage, tearing through it like paper and he began to unleash all Hell on the man. All of his anger and frustration and fury of the night was being poured out on the officer and David was obliterating him in the most brutal and painful way the boys had seen in a long time. The viciousness and depravity in which David dealt to the man shocked even Marko, who could be a callous prick when he wanted to be. Dwayne looked over at Paul, who was cheering David on, and then back at David. None of them would want to be Star, or the man she drove off with, when she was found. The boys got out of there shortly after with Dwayne snapping the dash cam off the car and crushing it and Paul retrieving his weed before they went back to the hotel to try and come down a bit, make sense of what had happened and to try and calm an enraged David down enough to work out what he wanted to do next. The way he looked, he was ready to take down half of the town and on the hour long trip back to their hotel, he’d managed to pick off two more randoms and snap them like twigs just for the sake of it. He didn’t even feed off them, he just broke them.

The boys entered the room and Paul was skinning up as soon as he could. He hadn’t seen David like this since the night Marko had been staked and Star and Laddie were missing. He didn’t know if the E was making him worse or if it was just the fact Star was gone or what it was, but a joint was going to make Paul feel better and he hoped it was going to make David chill out, cause he definitely needed to chill the fuck out. Marko appeared equally as worried but just as angry as his leader, of course he blamed Star for this, he blamed her for everything and she was dead to him now, whether she was David’s wife or not. The next chance he had to take the bitch out, he would take it and happily take the consequence. Surely it couldn’t be as bad as watching David go through this, she was tearing David apart before his eyes, not showing him the respect he deserved or even showing him an ounce of remorse for the pain she’d already inflicted, let alone what she was doing now. He would not let her fuck his family again. Dwayne however just sat there analysing the whole situation. He had suspected David was going to be potentially worse after he’d married her, more possessive and controlling but nothing like this. He was manic. There was something wrong, something else but he couldn’t pick it, even before she had run off he was hopped up and unstable but now she was gone, he was going to be unbearable. Paul finished rolling and he sparked the joint and passed it to David who inhaled it and went to pass it on.

‘Nah, that’s all yours. I got more for us, man.’ Paul assured him and he picked up another one and threw it at Dwayne then another and fired it towards Marko, where it hit his knee and bounced off on the floor.

‘Catch your drugs, bro!’ Paul laughed at him. He then sparked his own and they all sat there with their own smokes in relative silence. Paul grabbed the remote and flicked on some music on a music channel as the smoke began to take effect.

‘Which way did the car go?’ David had calmed enough to ask Marko.

‘It headed north as far as I could tell.’ Marko reluctantly said. He wanted to tell him to forget her and to let the bitch go and to make her survive on her own but he knew David well enough that he didn’t want to hear that right now.

‘What was it?’ David’s jaw was clenched.

‘A grey Ford Mondeo. Older model.’

‘What’d he look like?’ David was staring ahead and not making eye contact with anyone.

‘Tall, dark hair. A bit Michael looking.’ David flicked his gaze up at Marko with death in his eyes. Marko had thrown that comment in to piss David off and to remind him of her betrayal in the hopes he’d finally fuck her off. He’d only managed to inflame David’s rage again.

‘What the fuck, man? He was chilling out!’ Paul projected into Marko’s head but Marko ignored him. Dwayne rolled his eyes in Paul’s direction and David inhaled again.

‘She’s going to regret this.’ David finally said.

‘Dude, she’s as high as a kite.’ Paul tried to subdue his thoughts.

‘I don’t give a fuck if she did it because she’s smashed or not, she’s going to pay for this. And pay hard. I’m going to make sure of it.’ He finished his smoke and stood up. ‘Stay here boys. I got something I gotta do. And when I get back, we are heading back to Santa Carla. Time for us to take our territory back. Fuck everybody else. We’re going home.’ He told the boys before he walked out to the balcony and disappeared. The boys sat there mildly stunned but not overly surprised at David’s announcement.

‘Is he serious?’ Marko remarked, lifting his head from the head board of the bed.

‘Oh yeah,’ Dwayne smiled. ‘We’re going back home.’ Dwayne was keen as to get back to Santa Carla. He had a girl he who he was quite keen to see again and wanted to track down.

‘After what we did tonight, we gotta get the fuck outta this town, that’s for sure.’ Paul said impassively. ‘That mess will be all over the news tomorrow.’ He laughed finishing his smoke. He was smashed.

‘He’s not going to be back tonight is he?’ Marko asked, yawning and dropping his roach out the window before getting up to pull the thick dark curtains closed and sitting back on the bed.

‘I’d say not, looking at the time’ Dwayne said.

‘The dude’s fucking crazy. Crazy. And that girl don’t make him any better.’ Paul said kicking off his boots as he lay on the couch.

‘Fucking maggot.’ Marko spat

‘Ugh, drop it bro’ Paul dismissed his comment and turned the music up.

‘Well, fuck this. I’m outta here. There’s a girl out there who’s needs my attention and it’d be such a shame to waste such a good E.’ Dwayne got up to leave.

‘Fuck you’re a slut.’ Paul teased him.

‘Fuck, you can talk…’ Dwayne fired back.

‘Yep, I can. You’re a slut.’ Paul replied with his eyes closed, laughing. Dwayne looked at him lying there off his chops and laughed and shook his head before he walked out.

‘You staying here?’ Marko asked him as he got up to follow Dwayne.

‘Yeah, I can’t be fucked going anywhere. But if you wanna send a hottie back this way…’ Paul raised his arms and pointed at himself.

‘Ha! Will do…’ Marko laughed as he left.

David flew up to San Francisco and went to the hospital to find Laddie but found he had been discharged and the older charge nurse was not about to pass out any patient information to a man who looked like he belonged in a gang. David did however catch the eye of a younger nurse who was more than a little interested in the striking tall blonde man in front of her. The charge nurse was called away and David made his move, laying on the charm and smiling at everything she said, making her blush and want to continue the conversation in any way possible.

‘What are you doing here?’ She finally asked him after about ten minutes of flirting.

‘I came to see my cousin. I have just come back into the country and I heard he was attacked or something and he was here but he’s not and my uncle and aunt have moved. I don’t know where I can go to see him and your boss was none so helpful.’ He said looking down the hallway where the charge nurse had gone.

‘Well, I could check his file?’ She offered.

‘Oh, I don’t want you to get into trouble…’ He said looking down and shaking his head before looking back up and into her eyes, staring directly into her soul and making her hands begin to shake. It was so easy, the young ones always were. He could almost smell her attraction to him.

‘I can write down his address for you. You are family after all.’ She said smiling at him and taking a pen and a piece of paper out. She scribbled down Laddie’s details along with her name and number and handed it back to him.

‘Call me?’ She said shyly. He leaned over the desk and brushed a stray piece of hair from her eyes.

‘You got it.’ He said winking at her before spinning on his heel and striding out past the charge nurse, walking out just after she exploded on the young nurse for breaking standard procedure. Laddie had gone back home to his parents’ place in Oceanside and it was time for David to go and pay his ‘cousin’ a visit.

The night had gotten away on him and instead of consummating his wedding as he should be, he was heading back down the coast at break neck speeds before the sun began to rise. He knew he wasn’t going to make it to Oceanside in time so he diverted to Santa Carla and decided to go back to his cave to stay for the day only when he got there, he heard a loud banging coming from inside. There were people in his home. He stopped as soon as he heard them and began stalking those who had dared to invade his sacred space. Paul’s stereo turned on and he heard smashing of glass and laughing. He guessed there were about three or four guys in there.

‘Fuck, this place is mean!’ One called out. ‘The Doors poster is mine!’ Another smash echoed out the entrance of the cave where David crouched.

‘This place stinks.’ Came a girl’s voice. ‘And what are those bones over there? Are they from an animal? Gross.’

‘What are those bottles? Are they candle stick holders?’ Someone asked.

‘They’re fun to smash, that’s what they are.’ Said another with an almighty smash following his comment.

‘No, they’re kinda cool, save me one!’ Came the first voice.

‘I love this bed, come fuck me in it’ Laughed the girl with another one joining in in her laugh.

‘I’ll fuck you anywhere.’ Said one of the men, making the girl scream in delight as he grabbed her and David assumed they were on Star’s bed. He felt a wave of sickness wash over him.

‘Ooo look, there’s some jewellery here!’ The other girl said excitedly.

‘Get off me!’ Cried the first girl. ‘Anything decent?’

‘Look, there’s another room back here!’ Came a distant voice from inside the cave and suddenly David realised they were in his room. Time to put a stop to this before they found something that actually still meant something to him. He almost felt sorry for them, they didn’t even know they had walked into their own worst nightmares. But David never felt sorry for anyone and in the mood he was in, he was going to enjoy this.

David jumped down and into the cave and surprised the four people in the main room. The girls stood near Star’s bed and one of the men stood up from behind the lobby desk while the other man stood over where David’s bottles once stood.

‘What do you want, fucktard? Huh?’ The man behind to desk carelessly asked David.

‘Yo, we got company!’ The other one called out towards the back of the cave prompting three more guys to appear out of David’s room. David smiled, seven people for him to play with.

‘What does this dick think he’s going to do?’ One of them laughed, speaking about him as if he wasn’t there and with confidence that they had the upper hand and assuming David was defenceless against the men. How sadly wrong he was. David just stood there smirking at their extreme arrogance.

‘He’s kinda hot.’ One of the girls said and David flicked her a sideways glance.

‘Shut up.’ One of the men snapped.

‘You’re trespassing on our turf fuckhead.’ The man next to the bottles shouted. ‘Get the fuck outta here.’ It was a pity the boys weren’t here with him for this, especially Paul, this was right up his alley. But David didn’t need his boys right now. He was fully primed to handle this by himself.

‘I don’t think so, pal.’ David said the monster that lived within him morphed his features and he flew towards the man speaking to him and within a second had slammed his head into the cave wall so hard that his temple had dented in dropping him dead to the floor. He then turned and tore the throat out of the man standing next to him and stood with his trachea hanging out of his hand as he looked at the third man and smiled. The girls were screaming by now and David took the third man and threw him across the room at the girls, knocking them over like bowling pins and the man bounced off them and crashed his head into the corner of Stars bed side table making a sickening cracking noise come from his neck. One of the two men who were in the main room took off out of the cave while the other had picked up a broken bottle to defend himself and was screaming obscenities at David.

‘Stay the fuck away from me or I’ll rip you a new asshole, you freak!’ He threatened. ‘What the fuck are you?’

The girls were screaming at the fallen man at their feet to get up. They were both too scared to move past David in order to get out of the cave.

‘Call me Death.’ David responded as he kept walking slowly towards the man.

‘Don’t come any closer!’ The man held the bottle out in front of him waving it at David and, too quick for him to even see, David had taken the bottle out of his hand and had swiped his hand across his face, his nails tearing the flesh from his skull leaving his face half hanging off. The man was gasping for air through the mangled mess that had been his face. David had even impressed himself with the move and cocked his head to the side and nodded slightly at his artwork before he latched on to the man’s throat and got his fill from his jugular.

‘NOOOO!!!’ One of the girls screamed making David drop the man and turn to look at the girls, thick red blood painted on his chin. The man on the floor was bleeding profusely from the back of his head and had begun to vomit which basically left David alone with the girls.

‘Don’t be scared.’ David addressed the girls with his unnaturally calm tone and the girls backed up as he walked towards Star’s bed.

‘No, please. Please don’t hurt us. We won’t tell anyone.’ They were both crying.

‘Oh, it’s not going to hurt.’ David smiled as he grabbed one of the girls and snapped her neck. The other was pleading now, begging and hysterically pleading for her life and he suddenly saw her as Star. He saw straight through her like she was transparent and all he saw was Star, the girl who had betrayed him and lied to him and left him and she was begging him for forgiveness. His over whelming acrimony took over him and he reached into the girl’s chest, shattering her rib cage, and he pulled out her still beating heart. He stood there for a few seconds and watched it cease beating before he dropped it on the floor next to Star’s broken jewellery. He looked around at the mess he’d made and heard a gurgling from the man on the floor, looking down he booted the man in the mouth, breaking his teeth and killing him. Remembering then the man who had taken off, David shot out of the cave to find him scrambling around at the top of the Bluff trying to escape. He heard David coming and began frantically screaming as David swooped down on him and picked him up and gouged a large gaping wound in his shoulder with his teeth before dropping him out in the Pacific Ocean.

David returned to his cave, disposed of all the bodies out to sea and cleaned up as much as he could be bothered doing. After the night he’d had, he was exhausted. It had taken him ten or so kills but he finally felt like the internal turmoil he’d experienced all night had finally subsided and he began to calm down. He thought now he would be able to sleep relatively peacefully, or as peacefully as he could, considering. His initial intention was going to have to wait until tomorrow night as the sun was on the horizon and his energy was waning but he was fully prepared to fulfil his promise to provide a very painful reminder to Star never to defy or evade him again. He retreated back into the bowels of the cave and slept.


	46. Irreparable Damage - Star's POV

‘Ahhh… are you running from the cops?’ The man asked her looking in his rear view mirror and seeing Marko and a cop hoofing it after the car. She didn’t answer him and just looked out of the window her heart pounding in her chest. ‘Hello?’ He looked over at her. ‘Who was chasing you? I’m not going to be an accomplice to anything major.’ He shook his head at her.

‘No, I’m not running from the cops.’ She lied, refusing to look at him. She had no idea where to go or even what she was doing, she just had to get out of there. The pressure of getting married, and all that entailed, along with the strength of the E had outweighed any kind of logical or sane thought pattern she could even attempt to have had and she had freaked. The car was quiet and it was giving her a chance to just stop.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked trying to calm her down.

‘I will be. I think.’ She said entwining her shaking hands together. He drove off the main drag and pulled over and looked at her. ‘What are you doing? I’ve got to go.’ She said, the panic rising in her again.

‘Where are you going?’ He looked at her. ‘Your eyes are like full moons and I am not leaving you anywhere unless it’s a hospital nor am I driving around aimlessly for the rest of the night. And I have a vague idea that if that cop has my plate number, they’ll be looking for my car.’ He said, making more sense than anyone else seemed to have made all night. ‘So, where are you going?’

‘I… um… I don’t know’ Tears began to well in her eyes as she looked at the man. ‘I just…’ She trailed off unable to finish.

‘Look, how about you come back to my place and calm down, and come down, and then you may be able to think a bit straighter and work out what you want to do.’ She looked at him, searching his face to see if she could recognise any malice or dodgy intentions and she saw none. He was being genuine.

‘OK,’ a tear slid down her cheek. ‘Thank you.’ He pulled back out onto the road and headed north-west towards the suburbs. The rest of the car ride was silent and she concentrated on her breathing so she couldn’t hear the blood rushing through his veins. For some reason it was so loud, like as loud as the cops was when she knelt above him on Santa Monica beach. She was hungry, for both food and the other but she tried so had to repress both and focus on her breathing. They pulled up outside a small brick apartment building and he led her up to the second floor and into a dark living room with thin carpet and a large squashy couch.

‘Sit down, I’m going to make you a hot drink.’ He said flicking on a lamp and leaving her to go and put the jug on. She sank into the couch and tried to relax and soon she was beginning to come to grips with the gravity of what she had done. Oh God, David was going to be livid. Why had she done that? She remembered his words and suddenly dreaded the consequences of what she had chosen to do, especially when Marko told him she had gotten into a car with a man, which he was bound to do. But she didn’t exactly choose to do this, it was a gut reaction to what was happening around her and she couldn’t help herself. Could she? Did she choose this? Not consciously, but maybe sub consciously? She was thinking of trying to duck out of the club without them seeing so she did want to go. Did she just see her chance and gap it? She didn’t know, she was so high. She was still so high and she placed her head in her hands and unsuccessfully tried to clear her thinking.

‘So, you got a name?’ He asked as he came back in the room toting two cups of tea and a joint in his mouth. He placed the tea on the coffee table and handed her the joint. ‘This should help you settle. I figured if you’ll take whatever has you soaring so high, a little weed wouldn’t offend you.’ She smiled and took it as he brought a lighter out of his pocket and lit it for her. She inhaled and felt her head instantly go numb. Was this super E?

‘So, name?’ He repeated, plopping down next to her.

‘Star. My name is Star.’ She said blowing smoke into the room. ‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome Star.’ He said taking the joint from between her fingers and inhaling a large toke himself and blowing it out. ‘Is your name really Star?’ He asked handing it back.

‘Yes,’ she chuckled slightly. ‘My name is really Star.’ She said taking the joint back and having another puff. She watched her smoke swirl around the room and curl in psychedelic spirals with his when she exhaled and she didn’t know if this smoke was a good idea or not, she almost felt more out of it. Like it was unleashing a second wind within the E only this one had her body stoned and stuck on the couch. She cursed Paul.

‘What’s your name?’ She asked him as she struggled to pull herself out of the couch and take a sip of her tea.

‘Mike.’ He replied and she just about spat her tea all over the table. She stopped and looked at him fully in the light of the lamp for the first time and she was a bit stunned, he had dark hair and blue eyes like her Michael but a different jawline and body structure and she visibly relaxed.

‘Sorry, is Mike not OK?’ He asked taking a drink.

‘Yes, of course. I… You just look like a Michael I used to know.’ She said.

‘Oh, sorry to disappoint. And it’s Mike, not Michael.’ He corrected her.

‘Don’t be sorry, my Michael is dead now. Nice to meet you Mike.’ She smiled and took another toke on the thick joint. He reached over and put on some soft jazzy tunes before taking the joint back off her.

‘So Star, are you going to tell me what happened tonight?’ Her smile dropped away and her head went down. What was she going to tell him? That she was running away from her vampire husband and his vampire friends and had nowhere to go because she was a half vampire herself and either needed to kill herself, her husband or someone else to be OK? Fucking Hell, he would think she was a fucking nut bag and call the cops.

‘Something happened in the club that we were at and a fight started and I was too high and got scared.’ She tried to sugar coat the story and eliminate any further questions.

‘Who were you with? Why didn’t you stay with them? Won’t they be worried?’ He asked.

‘Um… No, they were too busy getting involved in the fight and I had to get out of there.’ She dismissed his question and prayed there would be no more. The couch was enveloping her and she was having that velvet feeling again. When was this going to end?

‘Have you got your phone? You should at least text them and let them know you are OK.’ She looked at him through her hazy eyes. He was so nice, so caring and considerate. Why couldn’t she be with someone like him? Why couldn’t she have found a hot man like this to spend her life with? To have kids and make a home with? Couldn’t she just pretend this was her life? ‘Haha, you’re smashed.’ He laughed at her when she didn’t answer him.

‘I am.’ She agreed and smiled a little too big. He was staring into her large brown eyes.

‘Are you feeling better?’ He asked and she just lay on the back of the couch and looked at him, not saying anything. He reached over and gently stroked her face sending tingles through her and she reached up and held his hand there, lightly parting her lips and continuing to watch him. He leaned forward and kissed her, pulling back to gage her reaction and sensing no resistance or objection he went in for a second kiss and she responded instantly and passionately. She had no conscious thought about whether what she was doing was right or wrong, she had no thoughts at all really, she just did it. She was behaving just as anyone would who was smashed on pot and off their face on E. She needed to be accepted and welcomed right now, by someone who wasn’t a monster. Someone who was normal and kind and someone who didn’t want her to kill someone to make them happy. She was desperate to be with someone who was the complete opposite of David so she pushed David out of her head and went through with what she had started and found her enjoyment of the act was so immense and pleasurable that she lost herself in it. She wanted more and more, she wanted to do it again and again, over and over. On the couch, on the bench, on his bed, in the shower, she had fucked her way around his whole house and was quivering beneath him on the floor pushing him inside her deeper and deeper. She became an insatiable animal and this poor boy was loving every minute of it, not knowing the true extent of what he was dealing with. The more she orgasmed all over him, the more she needed him to make her do it again.

‘You’re insane!’ Mike said breathless, lying back on the floor after hours of fucking. ‘I need a minute.’ He looked at her and thought he saw her eyes changing colour from brown to a golden red and he jumped a bit. The sun was beginning to rise and she looked towards the stream of light coming through the window and he got confirmation of her flickering eye colour and his brow furrowed and his heart stopped. Was she wearing contacts? Star got up like she was in a trance and, without saying anything, she walked to his room, shut his curtains and hid under his blankets and was out within seconds.

‘Star?’ He followed her. ‘Oh, you want to go again in my bed?’ He jumped in beside her and she said nothing, she didn’t even move. ‘Star?’ She flicked her eyes open and her stare penetrated him through, her abnormal irises and dead facial expression sent a cold feeling flooding over him and he backed off. She slid her lids closed again and he waited a minute before he looked at her again but it was like she’d taken a sleeping tablet and was gone. She was comatose, he wasn’t surprised after what they’d just done but he was slightly unnerved by her sudden change and he lay down next to her and tentatively placed his arm around her and fell asleep.


	47. Consequences - David's POV

David awoke before the sun had completely set, he could tell because he still felt a bit groggy, but that could have been the residue from the E. Even David had been smacked sideways by the stuff and, although he wasn’t a great fan of class A hard drugs, he made a mental note to make sure Paul sourced that shit again. He went out to the main room pulling out a cigarette and walked towards the entrance to see how much time he had. The sky was darkening quickly and the moon was shrouded by clouds, it was going to rain. David was satisfied he could leave after he’d finished his smoke and go complete his mission. His anxiousness had returned and he was itching to get out of there. He pulled out the piece of paper with the address on it and searched his very long memory for what he knew of Oceanside.

‘Where are you?’ Marko popped in his head.

‘Ahh… I’m down the coast. Head back down to Santa Carla and meet me later tonight.’ David replied. ‘Where are Paul and Dwayne?’

‘Paul is here with me, fuck knows where Dwayne is.’ David smiled at his response and flicked his cigarette butt out of the cave entrance and turned to put his boots on. He was having flash backs of the night before and wondered where Star was but he would finish what he planned before he spoke to her again. She’d pushed him and he was going to push back. Whoever she had left with would be next on the menu too he thought as he left.

The light rain was misting around the streetlights as he arrived a few houses down from where Laddie was staying. Walking along the street, he ducked down the side of the house next door and went around the back into the property. The TV was glowing with blue flickering pictures through the window and David saw Laddie lying in a bed in a small room attached to the back of the house. David silently approached the door, turned the handle and pushed the door open with his foot, the doors hinge making a high pitched creaking noise and alerting Laddie to its movement.

‘Who’s there?’ Laddie called out.

‘An old friend.’ David answered stepping inside.

‘Oh fuck,’ Laddie froze. ‘What do you want?’ The boy stuttered, fear coursing through his body. He tried to move but he was obviously still fairly weak and in a bit of pain.

‘Is that any way to greet an old friend?’ David sarcastically asked as he stalked around the bed.

‘We are not friends David.’ Laddie said defensively.

‘Oh, we’re not friends?’ David stood back in mock shock. ‘Well, if we’re not friends, then that’ll make what I am here for so much easier.’ He informed the boy and leaned forward smiling, the light illuminating his angular features.

‘No…’ Laddie was frantically trying to slide backwards on the bed. ‘I didn’t say anything about you. I haven’t done anything!’ The boy pitifully pleaded his case to the vampire leering over him.

‘Oh, it wasn’t what you’ve done. It’s what Star has done. I’m here because of her.’ David told him.

‘But I haven’t seen her or spoken to her’

‘You didn’t need to, you just need to know that what is going to happen to you is her fault.’ David had a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as Laddie’s face dropped when the understanding sunk in. David stood up straight, took a deep breath in and then savagely attacked the boy. The intense pain and torment he inflicted would have made Jack the Ripper proud, he left organs splayed all over the bed and his entrails we splattered all over the room. The blood was even dripping off the ceiling and David looked around happy with the devastation he’d created. Before he left he dipped his fingers in a small pool of blood on the top of the chest of drawers and tasted it, his adrenalin surged with the taste and he grew excited over the reaction he would receive once she found out. He wanted to chill her to the bone. Once he’d proven to her not to fuck with him, she would never dare disobey him again because if she even thought of it, this would be her.

The rain was falling a bit more steadily now and David hated flying in the wet so he went into the tiny beachside town and spotted a girl waiting in a large 4x4 outside behind a takeaway bar. He walked up and smiled at the girl as he leaned against the wall smoking a cigarette and looking around to see who would see what he was about to do. Finding the street all but empty, he wasted no time in pulling her out of the trucks window and tearing her head clean off. His desire for complete masochism with his kills at the moment was perplexing yet pleasing him and he jumped in the driver’s seat and burned off leaving her body lying next to some large bins.

He drove back up the coast towards Santa Carla at a leisurely pace. The last thing he needed was to be pulled over, he still had dried blood caked on his hands and on his jacket and jeans and he decided needed to clean himself up. He went to a dodgy little bed and breakfast and broke into a small room. He filled the bath with hot water and threw this jeans and t shirt in there to soak and jumped in the shower. The water felt amazing to him and he stayed in there for longer than he thought, coming out with his cheeks bright red. He figured he must have looked almost human. He sat on the bed and flicked on the TV just in time to see the highlights of the 11pm news. The lead story was of the four officers found dead in Las Vegas. They remarked how concerned they were about the manner in which the violence was delivered and that they had found no real usable evidence at the scene but forensics were investigating. David snorted, forensics hadn’t found shit on Alan. Wait till they find Laddie... He smiled thinking about Laddie and his thoughts drifted to Star. She’d be up now for sure.

‘Get your ass back to Santa Carla. Don’t make me come find you.’ He broke into her thoughts, he didn’t wait for a response but he knew he’d reached her. He pulled his clothing out of the water and lay them over a rather robust bar heater which dried them much quicker than he thought it would. He impatiently hung around in the room for the next hour, intermittently tapping into her thoughts before he got a confirmation of where she was and then he told Paul to go get her before she left. He was desperate to leave and meet up with the boys again.

He heard some yelling out in the courtyard of the place and he looked out of the window to see a small scuffle breaking out and he stood and watched it unfold with a mild amusement. It was just threats over money by the sounds of it and David didn’t think much of it until one pulled out a knife and sliced the other on the cheek and, taking advantage of the shock he’d caused, he stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. David smelt the blood instantly and it made him want to react and feed but the bed and breakfast owner came out screaming with a phone attached to her head and David quickly realised he was going to have to get the fuck out of there and fast, especially driving the stolen car he was currently in possession of. His jeans were nearly dry so he pulled them on and finished getting ready to leave. He wasn’t going to make a discreet get away here as the fight had broken out right next to his truck and now there was a dead body lying on the ground. Fuck, he didn’t even need to do anything and people were dying around him. He looked over to see people gathering to look at the body and David knew he didn’t have long and would have to make a move. He walked down and tried to get in his truck but the owner began pulling on his sleeve saying she needed him to talk to the police as a witness.

‘I’m not talking to the cops.’ He shook her off.

‘But you saw what happened, I saw you in the window.’

‘Lady, I didn’t see anything. Leave me out of this.’ He cracked open the car door and climbed in.

‘I have your licence plate, the cops will want to talk to you.’ She spoke loudly at David and had there been no one around he would have crushed her lungs until they exploded.

‘Let ‘em find me.’ David smiled and roughly reversed right next to her and burned off down the road. He was going to have to ditch the truck sooner than he’d planned now and he was still about seven hours away from Santa Carla and it was still raining. That fucked him off and he pulled down a side street just before he hit San Diego and left the truck, choosing to get wet and take the faster route back up the coast. It was probably still going to take him three or so hours to get up there but at least the boys should be up there by then, and so should Star.

Dwayne returned to the motel and Marko told him they were to meet David in Santa Carla later that night.

‘I gotta go do something for our esteemed leader,’ Paul said rolling his eyes. Marko creased his eyebrows and looked at him quizzically.

‘Star needs a lift back to Santa Carls apparently.’

‘Good times.’ Dwayne said walking out the door followed by the other two. Dwayne and Marko took off towards the coast while Paul headed up North Las Vegas Boulevard on his bike and pulled up outside the Gailbraith Units. Stopping his bike, he pulled out a joint and, leaning against his bike seat, he sparked it looking up at the building and the latest job David had given him housed within it. As much as he loved tormenting and playing with his prey, this wasn’t his prey and he wasn’t in the mood to be David’s pit bull tonight. He contemplated leaving and saying Star wasn’t there. He just wanted to hang out with his boys and go and have some fun without the whole Star thing hanging over them. Dwayne was right, she fucked David’s head over something chronic and although he got why, this Star was insubordinate and problematic making David even crazier. Dealing with David’s control and obsessive nature of Star was something they’d all gotten accustomed to over the years, Paul just didn’t feel like dealing with it tonight so he flicked his roach on the grass and decided he’d get this over and done with quickly and he walked up the stairs. Being just before midnight, most of the other apartments were dark and quiet except for the door David had told Paul to go to had a light shining out from beneath the door. Listening for voices and not hearing any, Paul banged on the door and heard footsteps coming to answer the door. Mike had jumped up, hoping it was Star back and that she’d changed her mind and he went straight to the door, opening it without hesitation but he was surprised to see a long haired lanky man leaning against the door frame. Paul was just as surprised when the moderately built man answered the door and he realised Star wasn’t here. He had to think quick about what he was going to do.

‘Can I help you?’ The young boy asked Paul skeptically. Paul looked the guy over, butterflies appearing in his stomach. This dude was just Star’s type and he suddenly wondered how far she’d gone with this boy. He then knew what he was going to do, he couldn’t wait to see what David would do with this one.

‘You’re the one who helped Star last night, right?’ Paul asked and the boy instantly looked nervous but visibly uplifted at the sound of her name and Paul’s suspicions of her activities last night were confirmed. Even Paul was thrown at her audacity to do something like that on her ‘wedding night.’

‘Yeah, she was here with me.’

‘Yeah…’ Paul nodded watching him. David was going to tear this guy to pieces, hell he felt like tearing the dude apart himself. Paul smiled, looking forward to watching it and his enjoyment of what he was doing increased and he perked up. ‘Well, her friends and I would like to take you for a drink and thank you for keeping an eye on her. We were worried.’ Paul smiled and the boy in front of him slumped his shoulders.

‘Are you her boyfriend?’

‘No,’ Paul laughed at the boy. ‘I’m just her friend.’ The boy lifted his posture slightly upon hearing that.

‘Will Star be there?’ The boy asked.

‘Yeah, she’ll be there a little later. It’ll be a nice surprise for her.’ Paul encouraged. The boy hesitated, he was unsure about going anywhere with this motley looking dude. ‘She’d like to see you again.’ Paul pushed.

‘Yeah… yeah OK.’ The boy’s desperation to see Star got the better of him and he agreed, turning to get his jacket and shoes.

‘What’s your name bro?’ Paul asked as they descended the stairs together.

‘Mike.’ He answered and Paul suppressed his laughter and tried to play it cool. David was going to love this.

‘I’m Paul.’ Paul jumped out of the main entrance of the units and turned to look at Mike.

‘Mike, I only have my bike here, can we take your car?’

‘Sure.’ Mike said pulling out his keys.

‘Just one thing though, it would be easier if I drive. I know the way better than you will.’ Paul stared hard at Mike and Mike folded. If that’s what it took to see Star again, he’d do it. Paul laughed and jumped in the driver’s seat.

‘Settle in,’ Paul told the boy, fiddling with the stereo until he’d found a song he was happy with. ‘We’re going on a road trip.’ He then hit the road for the two hour trip to Santa Carla.

‘You got her?’ Dwayne’s voice appeared in his head.

‘Nah, she wasn’t there but I got something just as good haha.’ Paul replied. ‘See ya soon.’ About an hour in Mike was getting anxious as to where this crazy man was taking him.

‘Where are we going?’ Mike finally asked

‘Santa Carla.’ Paul told him seeing the tense look on his face. ‘Don’t worry bro, I left my bike at yours remember? You don’t think I’d just abandon my ride?’ Paul’s reasoning made Mike feel a bit better and he relaxed a bit, of course the joint Paul pulled out and lit helped.

Pulling up on the top of Hudson’s Bluff, Mike was confused.

‘I thought we were going for a drink.’

‘We are, there is a bar down here. Our bar.’ Paul said leading the boy down the wet rickety staircase. The rain was increasing and Mike looked around and realised unless he was going to be left up the top by himself, he had no choice but to follow. Paul still had his keys and he had no cell phone coverage this far out. Paul knew Marko and Dwayne had made it there before him but he wasn’t sure if David had. The barrels were full of fire and the candles had been lit and Dwayne and Marko had begun drinking already.

‘Hey! You started without me!’ Paul yelled, coming down into the Cave, Mike trailing behind him. Dwayne threw him a bottle and he opened it with his teeth. ‘David here?’ He asked sitting down. ‘This is Mike.’ Paul casually introduced the stranger looking from Marko to Dwayne to see their reaction. Marko gave his sly grin while Dwayne remained aloof.

‘Hi.’ Mike said looking at Marko and recognising him as the one who was chasing Star.

‘Come and sit,’ Paul told the boy. ‘Marko, flick him a drink.’ Marko threw the boy a drink and just as he caught it David walked down into the Cave flicking the water droplets from his spiky hair and taking off his large black jacket. He stopped when he noticed the boy.

‘Who do we have here?’ He asked Paul, prompting Mike to stand up and introduce himself.

‘I’m Mike.’ Mike held out his hand to David and David looked the boy up and down smirking.

‘Mike, is it?’ David said kinking his eyebrow and glancing at the boys. ‘Hi Mike.’ David walked past him, sat down in his wheelchair and opened the bottle Marko handed to him.

‘Take a seat Mike.’ Paul told him again and Mike uncomfortably sat down. ‘He was the one who took Star for a ride last night.’ He informed David with a smile on his face.

‘Oh, really?’ David looked from Paul to Mike.

‘Ah, yeah. She looked pretty scared and wanted to get out of there pretty bad. What happened last night?’ He turned to look at Marko. ‘Why were you chasing her?’ Marko didn’t respond and just looked at him silently.

‘Marko was just wanting to make sure she was OK, weren’t you Marko?’ David interrupted. ‘And was she OK?’ David threw the question back at Mike.

‘Ah, she was pretty upset and extremely high,’ Mike laughed. ‘But I managed to calm her down.’

‘Did you now.’ David’s tone and facial expression changed at the remark.

‘Yeah.’ His thought involuntarily going to last night. ‘What was she on?’ No one answered his question, they just watched him carefully. ‘Ah, where is she? Paul said she’d be here.’ He asked eagerly and a muscle in David’s jaw clenched.

‘Oh, she’s on her way.’ David confirmed. ‘But first, a toast…’ The boys all raised their bottles and waited for Mike to do the same. ‘To Mike,’ David leaned towards the boy. ‘For taking such good care of my wife on our wedding night.’ The boy’s face dropped when saw the seriousness on David’s face and he recognised the red hue appearing in David’s eyes. David took pleasure in seeing the uncertain fear cross the boy’s face but he wasn’t expecting the question that followed.

‘OK, what is that? Are they contacts too?’ David chuckled and looked at Marko. ‘Star’s eyes did that too last night.’ The boy’s all flicked each other glances and David’s mouth curled.

‘Oh, did they?’ Paul asked.

‘Yeah, after…’ Mike stopped abruptly.

‘After what?’ David followed up. ‘After you and her…’ Just as he asked Star stumbled through the cave entrance soaking wet, her hair dripping down her shoulders and her skirt clinging suggestively to her legs.


	48. Consequences - Star's POV

The hunger burned inside her like hot coals and she heard the soft breathing and distinct heartbeat beside her before she’d opened her eyes. Last night had been like a dream to her and she was unsure what had been real and what had not. She opened her eyes and her head throbbed as she looked at her surroundings while lying motionless. She then became aware of her nakedness and the arm laying over her and, briefly forgetting what had happened she turned expecting to see stark blonde hair but instead saw a mop of dark curls and her breath caught in her throat. Where the fuck was she? This was real, all too real for her and she had an over powering urgency to get out of there. She went to move and he began to stir next to her and he held her tighter. Her breathing began to quicken as her need to get up increased and she felt like if he didn’t let her go, she was going to make him let her go. Her desire for blood pulled at her hard and she almost began to see him as prey. The pounding of his heartbeat in her head wouldn’t quit and it was like she could see the blood running through the veins in his neck and she felt the tips of her canines elongate.

‘Hey,’ his voice startled her and broke her concentration. ‘How are ya?’ He said sleepily.

‘Um, I’m OK.’ She said trying to regain her composure.

‘Good, that’s good.’ He smiled. ‘Last night was a bit crazy.’ He added alluding to their tryst and slipping his hand beneath the sheet and onto her waist.

‘Yeah, a little too crazy.’ She jumped and went to the bathroom. She had to shower and get this man off of her. She scrubbed and washed as much as she could, almost as if it would erase the night itself.

‘I thought you said you were OK?’ He asked as she emerged from the bathroom.

‘I am,’ she answered distracted, looking for her clothes. Where were her clothes?

‘They’re in the living room.’ He answered her unspoken question and she looked at him and smiled.

‘Thanks.’ She held the towel tight around her.

‘It’s a bit late for modesty, don’t you think?’ He called out, watching her walk out of his room. She ignored the comment and found her skirt and singlet on the floor next to the sofa and began getting dressed.

‘Hey, you have the most amazing eyes too.’

‘What do you mean?’ She asked, genuinely confused as to what he was talking about.

‘The way they change colours.’ He explained and she stopped what she was doing.

‘Change colours?’ She asked seriously.

‘Yeah, your eyes were changing all kinds of freaky colours last night. Do you wear contacts?’ Changing colours? His comment made her feel sick and it was a comment she couldn’t ignore.

‘No, you must have been seeing things.’ Oh God, what had he seen? What the fuck happened last night? She had to leave now. He appeared in the doorway of the living room in a pair of shorts and stood watching her. She deliberately didn’t look at him so his fit fine body couldn’t pull her in again, plus her blood lust was hurting her and he’d already seen a flash of her secret. She put her boots on.

‘So, are you just going to run out of my life as quickly as you ran into it?’ He asked, making her finally look at him and see his vulnerability. What had she done to him? She felt mean leaving him like this, treating him so cruelly. He really was a nice guy and if things were different he would be someone she could maybe be with, who she would want to be with. But no, the beast within her wanted out and the one who put it there was threatening to destroy her life again, so instead she offered a sad smile at him.

‘I’ve got to go.’ She said simply.

‘Can I at least drop you somewhere? Get your number?’ He said hoping for some sort of contact but wanting so much more. Suddenly David appeared in her head demanding she get to Santa Carla immediately and she could tell he was fuming. Why did David have to permeate her entire existence whether he was there with her or not?

‘No, I’ll be fine.’ She sighed. ‘Can I use your phone to call a cab? I’ll put my number in there for you.’ She lied.

‘Are your friends going to meet you somewhere? You shouldn’t be out on the strip alone.’ He hinted, wanting to go with her. He was desperately fishing for some, any information.

‘Yeah, I’ll eventually meet up with them.’ She said with a solemn look shadowing her face.

‘You don’t have to go you know. You could stay here with me.’ He offered pausing. ‘I had a great time last night.’ He reminded her, sitting down beside her and placing his hand on top of hers. She looked into his eyes and all she could think was that David would rip him apart if he knew about him and, even if he didn’t, the way she was feeling, she may do something she would regret.

‘I know, so did I.’ She really didn’t want to talk about it or even think about it lest David pick up on it, if he hadn’t already. ‘But, I gotta go. What’s the address here?’ She asked picking up the phone.

‘No, I’m taking you. Just let me get dressed.’ He decided, jumping up.

‘Mike, I have put you out enough. A cab will be fine.’ She assured him.

‘You’re sure?’ He said disappointed.

‘Yes, I’m sure.’ She nodded. ‘What’s the address here?’ She asked again dialling a yellow cab number.

‘Gailbraith Units, Apartment 4, 1799 East Evans Drive.’ He reluctantly told her which she relayed to the operator.

‘Thank you.’ She handed his phone back to him after she pretended to load her number into it, grabbed her jacket and tried to get out of there as quick as she could.

‘I’ll wait outside with you.’ He told her.

‘No, it’s OK.’ She refused again inching towards the door. She was beginning to get annoyed with his persistence.

‘Can I at least get a goodbye?’ He stopped her and she knew she wasn’t going to get out that easy. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him and the move reminded her of what David had done at her wedding. Her wedding. Suddenly she remembered she was married. David was probably going to kill her.

‘I would really like to see you again.’ He whispered to her before he kissed her. She kissed him back, he didn’t deserve the cold treatment she was giving him. He’d done nothing wrong, she had. The kiss increased and became deeper and his heartbeat was pounding in her head again and she began to lose control and before she knew it she had bitten his lip, his warm blood spurting into her mouth. He pulled away in pain and again caught a glimpse of her sunset eyes.

‘Ow!’ He cried, nursing his lip.

‘Sorry. I’m sorry.’ She stammered before rushing out the door.

‘Star!’ He called out after her but she was gone as soon as her feet hit the pavement.

Star went back to the motel but found no boys there, all but David’s bike were gone and she wondered why they had gone without him. She knew he was expecting her in Santa Carla but as she looked at his bike she couldn’t help but wonder if he would be back and if she should wait for him. It was in that moment it dawned on her. It was so stupid, she was free, physically free of him and the boys, and she could go anywhere and do anything yet here she was deciding whether to wait for him here or to go back to the cave. She left the dark street of the motel and wandered aimlessly in and out of casinos, her mind spewing thoughts she didn’t want to face. Her pull to go to him was so powerful and she tried to reconcile why in her head. Was it because she was now married to him? No, it was because she knew she had to, she was scared of what he would do if she didn’t. She didn’t want to be hunted for the rest of her life and he would hunt her, he’d proven that. Why wouldn’t he just let her go? There was nothing so special about her, she was just a young, gypsy looking free spirit when they met and, once they’d begun seeing each other, she had quickly felt more like a possession than a partner to him. Why didn’t he just find another possession? She should be running and hitching a ride far away from here and attempting to start yet another new life but his words, his voice repeated over and over in her head telling her she needs him and the consequences of her leaving would be more than she could bear. And why did he want to go back to Santa Carla? She wished she hadn’t have bolted, fucking Paul giving her that shit. She knew he was angry with her already, especially after he’d hit her, but now after she’d run out on him, he was going to be feral. She sat down on a bench and put her head in her hands feeling the desire for blood nagging her like a stone in her stomach, and slightly panicked over how she was going to keep it at bay. She looked down at her ring and felt a sting of guilt. She knew David well enough to know he wouldn’t go through with something like that if he didn’t love her, or he had something to gain from it by it and she had nothing to give him. She knew he loved her, it was a distorted and twisted love but it was true. She’d been too self-involved and freaked out last night to see it but now it was clear as day. Now a tidal wave of guilt crashed in on her over what she’d done with Mike, oh God, David could not find out about that. Ever. David was right, she did not want him to come looking for her and she had to go back to Santa Carla as soon as she could. She didn’t have transport and she contemplated just taking a car but she was in too much trouble already with the law so she left the way David had taught her. She wasn’t sure she had enough energy to fly there but she managed to get there within an hour, and she hoped David would be pleased with her that she’d come back and that he would see her disappearance as just a drug fucked moment and nothing else. It had been slightly raining since Bakersfield but arriving on the Santa Carla coast it was solidly raining and she was soaking. She stopped to try and straighten herself up and that’s when she noticed the car parked up on the Bluff. An empty car. A car she knew. How did she know this car? It took her a minute but once she knew, her stomach dropped like she’d just jumped off the cliff. She might as well jump of the cliff, the car was Mike’s. She began to hyperventilate, what was he doing here? Oh God, what the fuck was he doing here?! How did he…? She stood there staring at the car and it hit her. David’s bike. David must have brought him here. She clambered up the broken wooden stairs and descended back down the familiar rocky ones and the closer she got, she could see the glow and hear the mumble of voices coming from out of the cave. She staggered down the entrance of the cave and stood there staring at the men inside.


	49. Nasty Surprise - David's POV

‘Impeccable timing’ David said, still looking at Mike before glancing over to look at the drowned rat standing before him. ‘I believe you already know Mike.’ He watched Star give the boy a shaky look.

‘Star, are you married to this guy?’ Mike asked her, incensed.

‘Ah…’ she said looking from Mike to David and back again. ‘Yes, I’m sorry.’ David watched her tilt her head and in this simple action he knew she meant what she was saying and this made him jealous. She actually liked this fucker and felt sorry for him. Now David was going to make a point of taking it out on him and making her once again bear witness to his depravity.

‘We were just thanking him for taking such good care of you last night. Exactly how much care did he take though Star?’ He watched her eyes dart around the room as her anxiety rose over his question and his suspicions were confirmed. She’d been a slut with this dick.

‘Look, she just…’ Mike butt in and instantly David was bored with him.

‘I’m not talking to you Mike.’ David cut him off, once again putting emphasis on his name. It would have to be another Michael, wouldn’t it… He looked back at Star and thought he saw her giving Mike a look of sorrow or pity and his annoyance grew. David hadn’t even begun with him yet, he’d give her something to be sorry about.

‘Star?’ He prompted her to look at him and answer his question. He wanted to see her try and claw her way out of this one.

‘David, I’m sorry. I freaked out…’ She started but he quickly realised he didn’t want to hear it.

‘You got a real thing for dudes named Michael don’t you?’ He spat and the mood of the cave became darker.

‘It’s Mike, not Michael.’ Mike corrected David, and it was a bad move.

‘Hey guy, we don’t give a fuck what your name is.’ Marko leaned towards Mike and threw a bottle cap at him hitting him in the cheek.

‘I didn’t mean to go with him, it was just the cops…’

‘Remember what happened to the last Michael you fucked?’ His question shook her and she shut up. ‘I didn’t tolerate it then either, but now you’re my wife and how do you think I’m going to deal with it now?’

‘David, please, he has nothing to do with this.’ Her voice rose and he could feel her desperation.

‘The man who took off with and fucked my wife has nothing to do with this?’ He asked, smirking incessantly her.

‘We didn’t do anything.’ Mike tried to distract David and David fought the urge to attack him.

‘Oh, yes you did. I can smell it on her.’ He looked back at Star. ‘And she knows I know.’ The smile melted away and he was reaching the end of his tether. ‘You were warned Star, you were warned in the club and before our wedding. You were warned back in Santa Monica. You knew what would happen but you didn’t listen.’ He stood up and stepped towards her, he was ready to expend some of his pent up aggression otherwise he was going to explode, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Mike stand up also.

‘Punish me if you have to, but not him.’ Was she trying to protect him? Trying to protect her boyfriend? What the fuck? The gesture riled him even more. ‘It was me, I was peaking, I left and he just helped me.’ She was rambling. ‘Please David…’

‘Oh Star, I’ve already punished you darlin’.’ He touched her cheek and she pulled away. ‘It’s his turn now.’

‘Don’t you touch me!’ Mike’s voice exploded through the cave. ‘Or her!’ David turned to see Mike standing there waving a knife. ‘Star, come here!’ The boys responded in unison, standing up and backing their leader. Paul was ready, David could feel it but he was getting a stronger feeling from Dwayne, he was furious at this guy thinking he could threaten anyone in here with a knife.

‘What are you gonna do?’ Marko asked him. David willed Mike to do something, anything, so he could react but he didn’t think he actually had the balls.

‘Star and I are leaving. You guys are fucking insane.’ Mike replied, holding his arm out to her.

‘Oh, are you?’ David asked him with all the boys laughing and David could see Mike was insulted.

‘She’s one of us,’ Dwayne cocked his head smiling, ‘and she’s not going anywhere, pal.’

‘That’s right she’s staying right here.’ David agreed. ‘Aren’t you Star?’

‘Star...’ Mike shook his hand urging her to take it and to go to him and David quietly glared at her.

‘Mike I can’t’ she sadly told him.

‘Yes you can, you don’t have to stay here with these freaks.’ Mike disrespected them and David was in no mood to be spoken of disrespectfully.

‘Are you deaf fuckhead?’ Paul asked him. ‘She’s not leaving.’

‘And neither are you.’ That was it. The beast had been set loose and David sprung on the man and detached half of his head, biting deep into his neck to the cheers and hollers of Paul and Marko. He lashed at the veins and jugular in his neck splashing blood all over his convulsing body, enjoying every minute of it.

‘David!’ Star’s shrill voice made him stop and drop the body and he turned to see her. The bitch had the guts to cause all of this in the first place and now to plead for his life? He walked over to her and grabbed her upper arm and dragged her to one of the back rooms in the cave, his room while the others were left to hunt for themselves before the sun rose.

‘Why do you have to destroy everyone who I come in contact with?! You don’t have to kill everyone!’ She screamed at him.

‘Are you fucking kidding me? Who the fuck do you think you are talking to?!’ He was incredulous. ‘You did this. Why do you keep pushing me Star? You lie to me, you insist on leaving me and now you are again fucking other guys?’ He threw one of his candle stick holder bottles across the room and it smashed into a thousand pieces against the cave wall. ‘What the fuck do you expect me to do?!’ He roared at her, his face still covered in blood and his eyes blazing and she stepped back at this question. ‘Why do you do this to me? Do you think I am impervious to all your actions? Well, I’m not Star and now we are linked for life, even more so than before! Whether you like it or not!’ He stood right up close to her and made her look at him. ‘And even if it takes an eternity, you will learn to love it. You will love me again like you used to and I know you did.’ He could smell her fear and apprehension at what he was going to do and he enjoyed it, it turned him on to have such power over her. ‘You are mine and tomorrow you will make your first kill. No questions.’ He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her, sliding his tongue inside her mouth and all over her lips. She began to try to fight him which only made him hold her tighter, he was going to have her tonight whether she wanted to or not. She was his girl and she was his for the taking. He picked her struggling body up and dumped her down on his bed, holding her down and kissing her again.

‘No, David!’ He lost his grip on her arm and he felt her slap him over the side of the face and her battle only made him even more intent on getting what he wanted. ‘Stop! Don’t!’ She continued to claw and fight against his advances, her insistence becoming harder and harder for him to handle. He growled a deep dog like growl at her and he knew he’d scared her because she stopped moving, and her eyes widened with tears forming. ‘Please don’t do this.’ She cried as he released his jeans and pulled her skirt up knowing he now had her where he wanted her. He entered her and the intensity of his euphoria increased with every thrust inside her until he found he couldn’t stop himself and he leaned forward and pierced her neck with his teeth, drinking deeply from her as he fucked her. It was the first time he had remained in his true form during sex with her which made the act rougher and more primal. He was taking out years of his frustrations over her, onto her in yet another way in which would hurt her. After he was spent, he hovered above her and looked at her as he returned back to his former self and he saw the devastation in her eyes. He lay next to her, knowing how shaken she was but not really caring right now. If she thought she was upset now, wait until she found out about Laddie.


	50. Nasty Surprise - Star's POV

‘Impeccable timing’ David smiled. ‘I believe you already know Mike.’ He exaggerated the man’s name as he looked at her and she flicked Mike a stunned look. A flash of lightning struck outside the cave, lighting up the entrance and silhouetting Star’s outline, quickly followed by a loud bang of thunder which made her jump.

‘Star, are you married to this guy?’ An exasperated Mike asked her.

‘Ah… Yes, I’m sorry.’ Her shoulders falling and she felt horribly conflicted, looking at him with genuine despair. She was hurting him again.

‘We were just thanking him for taking such good care of you last night.’ David disturbed her connection with Mike. ‘Exactly how much care did he take though Star?’ The question threw her and she averted her eyes. It was a test. David knew, she was sure of it. She looked back at Mike and he was looking intimidated and she felt sick, she knew what was coming. She felt like the biggest bitch on the face of the earth, she was simultaneously hurting both of the men in front of her and she didn’t know how to stop it. It was a train wreck hurtling towards her, ready to obliterate her.

‘Look, she just…’ Mike tried to appease David but was rudely cut off.

‘I’m not talking to you, Mike.’ David said to him and gave him one of his ‘was I talking to you’ looks before looking back to Star and her chest began to hurt with the crushing feeling David was projecting onto her. She dreaded what David had already said or done to him and looking back at Mike she again thought that he didn’t deserve any of this, that none of this was his fault. She was toxic and no one should be allowed near her. She closed her eyes.

‘Star?’ David wanted an answer and she was going to have to give him one.

‘David, I’m sorry. I freaked out…’ She began trying to explain but, like Mike, she was cut off by the dominating personality in the room.

‘You got a real thing for dudes named Michael don’t you?’ The question was rhetorical and it had a foreboding essence to it.

‘It’s Mike, not Michael.’ Mike corrected David and she cringed at his comment.

‘Hey guy, we don’t give a fuck what your name is.’ Marko threw a bottle cap at Mike hitting him in the cheek. They were teasing him just like they did her Michael.

‘I didn’t mean to go with him, it was just the cops…’ She tried to speak again to no avail. He wasn’t listening to her and she realised he was going to do whatever he was going to do regardless of what she said. This was just a game to him.

‘Remember what happened to the last Michael you fucked?’ It was something she didn’t want to hear and she stopped. ‘I didn’t tolerate it then either, but now? Now you’re my wife and how do you think I’m going to deal with it this time?’ No, David, please don’t do this.

‘David, he has nothing to do with this.’ Her voice rose in panic verging on quiet hysteria.

‘The man who took off with and fucked my new wife has nothing to do with this?’ He asked, chuckling at her with a serious tone.

‘We didn’t do anything.’ Mike interrupted, lying again. He was even willing to lie to David for her. She looked at Mike with an expression of fear and hopelessness begging him to stop and just to leave before it was too late.

‘Oh, yes you did. I can smell it on her.’ He said looking back at her. ‘And she knows I know.’ The smile he wore turned ugly and she knew she didn’t have long. ‘You were warned Star, you were warned in the club and before our wedding. You were warned back in Santa Monica. You knew what would happen but you didn’t listen.’ David stood up and stepped towards her, making her step back and she saw Mike also rise from his seat.

‘Punish me if you have to, but not him. It was me, I was the one peaking, I left and he just helped me. Please David…’ It was her last ditch effort to bring David around.

‘Oh Star, I’ve already punished you darlin’.’ He condescendingly touched her cheek and she turned away her heart sinking. What had he done? Oh God, what other chaos had she caused? ‘It’s his turn now.’ David continued and she heard Marko laugh at her.

‘Don’t you touch me! Or her!’ Mike yelled and he pulled out a blade. ‘Star, come here!’ She was shocked, what the fuck was he doing? Was he mad? She turned her head to see, as if on cue, all the boys come to life and stand behind David ready to defend their leader’s property. Her.

‘What are you gonna do?’ Marko enquired, mildly amused.

‘Star and I are leaving. You guys are fucking insane.’ Mike answered, gesturing to her to go to him. He was the crazy one and, in that one move, he had signed his own death warrant. She remained standing still.

‘Oh, are you?’ David asked him, the boys laughing at his total misunderstanding of where he stood in the pecking order of the room.

‘She’s one of us, and she’s not going anywhere, pal.’ Dwayne smiled a demonic smile at the boy and it was one that scared Star. She rarely saw him actually play with anyone and it was a truly frightening sight to witness.

‘That’s right, she’s staying right here.’ David agreed. ‘Aren’t you Star?’

‘Star...’ Mike began to talk to her but all she could feel was David’s stare. He was compelling her and she was too weak and too scared to resist.

‘Mike, I can’t.’ She refused his help, hating the words as they left her lips but she’d been here one too many times before and she knew how this ended.

‘Yes you can, you don’t have to stay here with these freaks.’ Mike demanded and she saw something in David snap.

‘Are you deaf fuckhead?’ Paul asked him. ‘She’s not leaving.’

‘And neither are you.’ David’s game was over and he launched at the man willing to defend her and trying to save her and she watched him tear at his body and ravage his throat. She found the sight repulsive and abhorrent regardless of the deep seeded hunger grinding at her and she screamed for him to stop and to her surprise, he did. He turned his head, still holding the limp body and stared at her with the most unusual expression across his face then he flung the dead meat in his hands over towards one of the burning barrels and it landed half in and half out of the fire. His anger at her was palpable and he walked over to her and grabbed her harshly, dragging her to his room and away from the boys.

‘Why do you have to destroy everyone who I come in contact with?! You don’t have to kill everyone!’ She exploded uncontrollably at him.

‘Are you fucking kidding me? Who the fuck do you think you are talking to?!’ His response was just as vicious. ‘You did this. You keep pushing me Star. You lie to me, you insist on leaving me and now you are again fucking other guys.’ He threw one of his candle stick holder bottles across the room and the smashing sound penetrated through her body and she suddenly wanted to leave. She was very, very scared and he was still in his vampire form and she didn’t know what he was going to do to her. ‘What the fuck do you expect me to do?!’ He roared at her, his face still covered in blood and his eyes blazing at her making her want to back up against the wall. ‘Why do you do this to me?’ He was looking at her like he was over it and he was ready to end it. Why else would he still be like this. What was she supposed to say? She pushed him because she was a selfish bitch? Because she wanted a normal life? One without vampires? Instead she stayed silent hoping he would leave soon. ‘Do you think I am impervious to all your actions? Well, I’m not Star and now we are linked for life, even more so than before! Whether you like it or not!’ He stood right up close to her and held her chin so she had to look up at him. ‘And even if it takes an eternity, you will learn to love it. You will love me again like you used to and I know you did. You are mine and tomorrow you will make your first kill. No questions.’ He grabbed her hair and forced his tongue inside her mouth and he smeared blood all over her face, making her taste the blood of her one time lover and she was disgusted. She began to fight him off of her, her panic sky rocketing when his grip on her became stronger meaning she was unable to get free. She was kicking and screaming as he picked her up and dumped her down on his bed and holding her down, kissing her again and with horrifying clarity she knew what he was going to do.

‘No, David!’ She slipped her arm from his and got in a decent slap across his face. She wasn’t going to go down without a fight and she screamed again, hoping at least one of the boys would hear her but no one came. ‘Stop! Don’t!’ She scratched at his arms and neck in a desperate effort to get him off her and she saw a sickening smile come over his face and she knew she was looking at the monster that his victims saw. He then emitted a deep guttural growl at her and she froze, absolutely terrified that he was going to kill her. ‘Please don’t do this.’ She begged him, tears streaming out of her eyes but her words fell on deaf ears. He hitched her skirt up and her dark nightmare turned into a reality as he roughly entered into her and began heaving into her over and over again seemingly oblivious of her objections. Again and again she felt him violating her until suddenly he forced her head to the side and he sunk his teeth into her throat and she screamed thinking this was the end for her. Instead he drank from her as he continued to fuck her until he came. She was too scared to move, too scared to speak or even think when she felt him lick her neck then push up above her on his hands and he looked at her. She didn’t want to look up at him, she never wanted to look at him again but she did, only to see what he was going to do to her, what other torture he was going to inflict on her already broken and used body. She saw his eyes thaw back to electric blue and he got off her and she was left lying next to him, shocked and shaken with silent tears streaming down her cheeks.


	51. There's More... - David's POV

He woke up to movement next to him, he’d been wary of her trying to leave after what had transpired last night and found he would wake at any sound or perceived movement he detected, which had made for broken sleep and made him a rather volatile vampire now. But once she actually did move, his eyes flicked open to see her walk out of his room.

‘Star.’ There was no answer or even any acknowledgement that she’d heard him which annoyed him. He glanced over to where she’d been sleeping and spotted the blue of her ring visible under the pillow and his anger surged. He took the ring and followed her to see what she was doing. ‘Star.’ He repeated, agitated, and she continued to walk towards her sleeping quarters and lay down. It was then he realised she was sleepwalking as there were no conscious movements in what she was doing and her eyes were glazed over. She lay down and curled up in a ball on her bed, closing her eyes and tightly wrapping her covers around her and he just looked at her for a minute before walking in after her, pulling out her left hand and replacing the ring back on her finger. He’d scared her and hurt her, he knew that for sure and it was what he’d wanted to do but he’d not meant to hurt her quite like that. Even he began to question what was going on with him right now. He’d never been like this, this brutal, this twisted and masochistic. It was like something that was deep inside him was coming out and he couldn’t control it. He’d done the one thing he’d promised her he would never do or allow anyone else to do to her ever again. The sun was about an hour away from setting and he knew he wouldn’t fall back asleep now. He sat there in his chair feeling uneasy about what he’d done and what was happening to him so he pulled out a cigarette and sucked in the smoke, trying to calm his thoughts.

‘What’s going on with you?’ The voice behind him made him jump. He’d been so deep in thought that he didn’t realise how long he’d been sitting there. He looked at his cigarette, which had burned it’s self out, and threw it into the barrel then looked over at Dwayne, who took a seat opposite him. Dwayne would always seem to appear when David needed to talk to someone. Marko was too judgemental and Paul would always joke around but Dwayne would quietly listen to what wasn’t being said just as much as what was and he picked up on more than the other two did. Maybe it was his Indian heritage, David didn’t know, but he appreciated it. Often he didn’t but right now he did.

‘Ugh, fuck knows bro’ David rubbed his bloodshot eyes and looked at him.

‘You’re on the verge and have been for days. Is it her? Have you felt like this since you found her?’ David looked at the crumpled body on Star’s bed and rolled his eyes. ‘What happened last night?’ Without David even saying anything, Dwayne knew he’d hit a nerve and David pulled out two cigarettes and threw one at Dwayne then he lit his own.

‘Fuck man, I’m not going to put up with anyone fucking around with my wife but…’ he took a drag, ‘I don’t know…’ he looked back at Star ‘I kinda lost it on her. I’m struggling to control myself at the moment.’ He admitted to his brother.

‘Is she alive?’ Dwayne looked over at her cautiously. David was crazy with jealousy over her, he always had been but had he actually killed her?

‘Yeah.’ David said, unconvincingly.

‘What did you do?’ Dwayne tentatively asked him.

‘I lost it on her and when I took her, she fought me,’ he told him looking away at the dark orange glow of the sunset casting shadows through the cave. ‘I didn’t mean to, it just happened. I don’t even remember exactly what happened, I just remember her slapping me and I saw red after that.’ He stopped and smoked his cigarette and blew the smoke out towards the light and watched it swirl around and get sucked out towards the entrance of the cave. Dwayne didn’t say anything. ‘Dude, I was so angry over the whole Mike thing, fuck if I meet another Michael, I’ll kill him just for being named Michael.’ David and Dwayne laughed but Dwayne was a little stunned at David’s confession. He knew his leader could be the epitome of evil when he wanted to be but if anyone was going to rape anyone, he thought it might have been Paul but he never thought Star would have been the victim. Not after what David did to the man that had done that to a 16 year old Star shortly before he’d met her. That had been why she had been on her own back then. Dwayne didn’t know what to say so he smoked his cigarette, this was probably going to be a game changer between Star and David. He thought things were explosive before but now they were about fucking atomic.

‘Is she alright?’ Dwayne asked.

‘I don’t know,’ David answered honestly. ‘But once she’s killed tonight, it won’t mean as much to her.’

‘You better go check.’ Dwayne nodded towards her room seeing her sitting up in her bed. David got up and walked towards her and stood just inside the curtains and watched her for a minute. She was staring into space, catatonic and despondent. She looked so little on the bed, she was holding her knees up close to her body, defensively, and then she noticed him and her eyes darted towards him nervously.

‘Star, are you OK?’ He asked but she didn’t answer him. He walked over to the side of her bed and leaned against the wall and, as guilty as he was feeling, the maniacal power was back and he was remembering what she had done to contribute to this situation too. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you… physically. Not in that way.’

‘Well you did.’ Her voice was coarse and full of hurt. He looked down as he heard her, he was hoping that he hadn’t hurt her as much as what he had but obviously what he’d done was worse than what he thought and it was going to make things harder. The sooner she killed, the better.

‘Get dressed. We’re going out soon.’ A good dose of fresh blood will make everything better. It always does. He went to leave and paused at the curtains facing away from her, and he found he couldn’t help himself. ‘And don’t you ever take that ring off again.’

‘Or what? You’ll rape me again?’ Her words were as sharp as knives and she spat them at him with venom. He turned his head but did still did not face her.

‘Just… don’t take it off.’ It was all he could do to maintain some control of himself and he stepped out into the main lobby to where all the boys were now assembled.

‘Ah, nice to see everyone survived the night.’ Paul slapped David on the shoulder. ‘What’s the plan, man?’

‘We’re heading out for a feed and she’s coming.’ David told them. Marko looked at him, disbelieving that she would actually go through with it like last time and the last thing he wanted was to share that experience with the cheating bitch, unless of course she was on the menu. It’s not like she was the only one who cheated, David did whatever he pleased when she wasn’t around, but this was her and everything she did annoyed Marko. Especially when it disrupted the synchronicity of the group, which was always at the moment. If she didn’t go through with it this time, Marko was going to take matters into his own hands. Paul rolled his eyes at Dwayne and Dwayne smiled at him. ‘But first, we’re getting ourselves some new rides. I think we deserve them after all the shit we’ve been through the last few weeks, or years. Fuck, I don’t know, I fucking know we deserve something.’

‘Dwayne deserves to track down that piece of ass he’s lookin for.’ Paul added, pushing Dwayne’s buttons. ‘And Marko needs to finally nail Maria.’

‘What about you, you deserve to pay her back for last night…’ Marko said to David.

‘When she kills, I will get what I want.’

‘And Paul can fuck the other half of the town that he hasn’t yet fucked.’ Dwayne laughed

‘Yeeaahh!!’ Paul agreed, liking that idea.

‘What else have you done?’ Star’s voice broke through the boy’s laughter and they all stopped to look at her, except David. She looked like shit, with blood all through her hair and down her neck and shoulder. She looked pale and even more fragile than she usually did. She looked like David had really done a number on her.

‘Fuck girl, are you alright?’ Paul asked her but she just stared ice at David and waited for an answer. Dwayne looked at her and then over at David, who took another drag on his cigarette, knowing the answer to her question was going to crush her even more than she already was. It was something neither she could deal with nor what he wanted to tell her tonight, last night was enough already and he just wanted her to drop it. He looked over towards her and he knew instantly she wasn’t going to let it lie and was going to demand an answer. He looked away again.

‘You mean, what did you make me do?’ He reminded her. ‘I told you what I would do. You already know. Look into your heart Star, and feel it. He lived there. You know what I have done.’ He watched the confusion in her face change when it sunk in, once she knew in her heart and in her soul what he’d done.

‘Laddie.’ He continued to watch her suffer with the knowledge her beloved Laddie was now gone. ‘No, no, no, no, no….’ What did she expect him to do? Nothing? She knew what he was, she knew that he’d threatened this and she damn well knew what he was capable of. She never should have pushed him like she did, he’s a fucking vampire for fucks sake and a pissed one at that. She shouldn’t be expecting any sympathy from him and she sure as fuck shouldn’t be expecting any regret over a kill from him, especially not right now. Dwayne went to move and Paul grabbed his arm, stopping him from doing whatever it was he was about to do to David. Dwayne pulled his arm out of Paul’s grip and stormed out of the cave. David saw him leave and he told Paul that he’d get over it. Star, however, was on the floor in floods of tears. Fucking Hell, this was just what he’d wanted to avoid.

‘Oh, Star honey, you had to learn. Now you know I really do have my limits and not to push them.’ He said to her rather condescendingly, but truthfully all the same.

Marko stood back chewing on a toothpick loving every moment of it, her suffering, her crying and especially the way David had the attitude that she was over reacting to it all. The only thing that slightly annoyed him was that Dwayne had been a casualty this time. He loved that kid. Shit, she couldn’t even be punished without at least one of his brothers being fucked over by it. This would be the last time if he had anything to say about it.


	52. There's More... - Star's POV

Close to two hours later she still lay there, still too afraid to move with her tormentor sleeping next to her and there was no way she was going to go anywhere and risking him doing that to her again. It was like a surreal nightmare, not like her wedding, looking back on that now, her wedding seemed like a daydream compared to what he’d just done. This was a true nightmare and her head felt foggy. Wait, was it a nightmare? Had she dreamt it? She was struggling to know what was real and what was not two nights in a row now and she felt like her life was out of control. Would he do that to her? Could he do that? She’d never thought he’d go that far as to actually do something like that to her. She’d always thought he had some sort of respect for her or some self-control over that so had she hallucinated it? Could it be a residual vision from what had been done to her in the past being brought on by the drugs and the fear he’d created? He knew what had happened to her when she was young, before they’d met, and he’d been the one to fix that situation in the early days for her. That should have been a sign in itself, but she was just so grateful to the man who would protect her from the pain in her life. He wouldn’t do this to her himself, would he? Her husband couldn’t have done that to her, that could not be the beginning of her married life with him, it was bad enough that she’d spent her wedding night in a drug fuelled haze having an affair with a random guy but now this? She heard the boys return and still she lay there, wanting to leave, wanting to call out for help but not daring to.

‘Shall I go see if he’s calmed down yet?’

‘Fuck, it would be a miracle if he has dude. You might find Star dead in there with the mood he was in.’ Paul and Marko were laughing at the prospect that he’d killed her but her reality was much worse.

‘Fuck it, I’m going to crash.’ Dwayne said and he disappeared out the back with the other two following him. She raised her arm to her neck and instantly felt pain in her limbs and her body. She felt the blood sticking in her hair then the bruising on her neck, and the puncture wounds and her fears became terrifyingly real. Her tears welled up again and slid down her cheeks as she silently began to cry again. No. Oh God, no, this can’t be true, he actually did this. No hallucinations, no dreams, this was real. It was so real, she wanted to be sick. First he wants her to be the monster he is, then he coerces her into marrying him and now he’d raped her. How could she possibly be with him now? She didn’t even want to look at him. She wanted to die. For the first time in her life and after everything she’d been through, she wanted to die. She wished he’d killed her. Her breathing became faster and she tried unsuccessfully to move and found she was in a bit too much pain then, going against every instinct screaming at her, she turned to look at him and saw large welts and scratch marks on his face and neck. Good, at least she’d given him some scars to remember this night of Hell. Her scars were internal and psychological though, and probably more damaging. She slid over in the bed so that no part of her body was touching the creature that did this to her, she felt broken both inside and out. He’d never made her feel as bad as this before, despite all he’d put her through with Campbell and Melissa, even Michael paled in comparison to what he’d done now. This felt worse than all of them. She was now void of all feelings for David and she felt dead inside. She wondered if this is what it felt like to be a full vampire. The boys seemed to care about things though, Marko definitely felt rage and Paul cared about getting high but Dwayne had an air of indifference to most things which had always interested her. Even David felt emotions of jealously and anger and definitely malice but he seemed to turn them on and off at will. She just felt dead. What had he done to her? Did all rape victims feel like this? She needed a friend right now, someone she could go and talk to and get away from these demons but the only one who would understand, without thinking she was crazy, was Laddie and the last time she saw him, she’d tried to kill him so she couldn’t see him entertaining speaking to or seeing her or feeling very sorry for her any time soon. He would probably see it as karma but regardless of anything, she wanted to see him. She slipped the ring from her finger and placed it under the pillow, she was not going to wear that now. Suddenly her eyes became heavy and soon her head followed and she knew the sun had come up. Her body became like a zombie and her exhausted crushed soul hid behind her eye lids as she slipped into the cursed subconscious she had been subjected to by the same force that had brutalised her. She would never forgive him for this.

She awoke in her own bed, her muscles sore from holding herself in a ball under her covers all day. She couldn’t remember how she got there but she was happy she wasn’t in his bed. She sat up and slid back to the head of her bed and leaned up against the wall with her knees up. She was sore from her ordeal too, she was hoping she would be healed when she woke and she could begin to try and forget but she hurt so she stayed in bed. She might stay there for the week, she wanted to stay there for the rest of her miserable life. She heard some voices echoing through the cave and she thought it was David and Dwayne but she didn’t want to know what they were talking about. She didn’t care, she didn’t care about anything right now as long as they left her alone. She sat there trying not to cry again, she was determined not to give him that satisfaction. He hated it when she cried anyways and what did crying do? It wouldn’t take last night away. She didn’t know how long he’d been standing there or if he’d said anything to her but she suddenly became aware of him and instantly became anxious and nervous of any interaction with him. She stared at him but didn’t say anything. He stepped in her sleeping area and she watched him warily, like a mouse being in the presence of an owl. It knows the hunter is there but there’s nothing it can do about it except try and run.

‘Star, are you OK?’ Was he serious? Did she look OK? She didn’t answer him and just continued to glare at him. He walked closer and leaned against the wall next to her bed. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you… physically. Not in that way.’ She closed her eyes to his comment, knowing that was as close to an apology that David was going to get.

‘Well you did.’ She replied remaining as still as a cat about to pounce. He looked down and she almost thought she recognised his body language as that of guilt but it was gone just as fast then he pushed off the wall and looked up at her.

‘Get dressed. We’re going out soon,’ he went to walk out and stopped just as he reached the curtains, ‘and don’t you ever take that ring off again.’

‘Or what? You’ll rape me again?’ She surprised herself with her response considering last night, but apparently she still had some fire in her, or maybe it was stemming from hate now.

‘Just… don’t take it off.’ He repeated and walked out. She looked at her hand to see the offending symbol of her union with him firmly wrapped around her ring finger again and she silently cursed it. She wanted to take it off, to bend it so she could never wear it again but she left it on. It felt like a weight on her, a reminder of the living Hell she was now committed to, that it was the cruellest fate that could ever have been given to her. There was no God, because if there were, he couldn’t possibly sentence her to this life. She wished Michael had have dumped David onto wood and not antlers and soaked him in holy water and buried him on sacred ground. Had done everything to exterminate him for good but here he was talking and laughing with his boys after raping her. How could he act like that? Act like he’d done nothing wrong? Was he oblivious of the pain he’d caused her? Did he even have a conscious? No, he must have one otherwise he wouldn’t have come and asked her if she was OK. He knew what he’d done. Did he set out to do that? She thought back over the night before it had happened and everything he’d said to her. He’d wanted to punish her, that’s why Mike was there. No, wait, Mike was there so David could punish Mike, he said he’d already punished her. She froze. What else has he done? He said he’d already punished her… Oh God, what else was coming? She had to know what he’d done and just as the thought entered her head, a sick horrible feeling took over her solar plexus and it wouldn’t quit. Did she actually want to know? She couldn’t help herself, she needed to know and after all, it couldn’t be as bad as what he’d already done now, could it. Oh God, could it? She got up and tentatively stood in front of her curtains.

‘What else have you done?’ She asked and all of the boys, except David, stopped and looked at her.

‘Fuck girl, are you alright?’ Paul asked her but she ignored his question and stared directly at David, who carried on smoking his cigarette. He took his time in answering.

‘You mean, what did you make me do?’ He challenged her and she wanted to answer him but he wouldn’t let her. ‘I told you what I would do. You already know. Look into your heart Star, and feel it. He lived there.’ He turned to look at her. ‘You know what I have done.’ Involuntarily her body began to shake and her breathing became staggered like she was going to cry.

‘Laddie.’ She said still staring at him and he smiled at her. ‘No, no, no, no, no….’ She dropped to her knees and began sobbing uncontrollably.

‘Oh, Star honey, you had to learn. Now you know I really do have my limits and not to push them.’ And right there, in that moment, she felt like she had died.


	53. Nothing To Lose - David's POV

Dwayne was fucked off that David had chosen Laddie to punish her with. Killing Mike in front of her should have been enough but on top of that he’d also attacked her too. And then to add Laddie as well? What the fuck was wrong with him? Laddie was still just a kid and Dwayne hadn’t lost his soft spot for him, he had been stoked to see him and had even thought of trying to bring him back to be one of them again after he knew that Star hadn’t killed him. Laddie would have loved it, but now that opportunity was gone and Dwayne needed to be alone for a bit and process everything. The way David was going and the volatility he was displaying, he was going to be uncontrollable shortly and very dangerous. Maybe he already was. He seemed impervious to all and all the boys were feeling it, Star felt it last night that’s for sure. As he walked around on the Boardwalk, he was content to be back in Santa Carla, at least he could happily distract himself by reacquainting himself with his old haunt and hopefully track down Kelly. He wondered if she’d moved on and got married, made a life for herself, but it was pretty much irrelevant to him and regardless of where she was, he was still going to find her again.

‘Where are you?’ David broke through Dwayne’s thoughts just as he’d begun to calm down and enjoy the view of his old mosh pit next to the stage.

‘Boardwalk.’ Dwayne curtly replied.

‘Stay there, we’re on our way.’ David told him. As gutted as Dwayne was, he knew he was going to have to let it go, even he wasn’t game enough to defy David right now. What the fuck was up with David? It was like no matter who he killed or how badly he did it, it wasn’t enough for him and Dwayne needed to know why before David began just taking out everybody.

David looked at the sobbing girl on the floor and knew he was going to have to do something, she was a mess. If it had been anyone else, he would have said fuck it and just walked away but this was his wife.

‘Star.’ She wouldn’t look at him or stop crying, she was bordering on hysterical and Paul looked at David a tad concerned but when David looked at Marko he saw a gleam of superiority. He was impressed at what David had done to her as he looked at the devastation pouring out of her. He looked back at her and he caught it when she glanced up quickly, her eyes had changed. In the anger and hurt she was feeling, she had changed subconsciously and it was then he knew how he was going to calm her down. He went and found one of his bottles that hadn’t been smashed, slit his wrist and let it pour into the vessel. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before now, she hadn’t fed in days and that was obviously making everything heightened and worse for her. Knowing she wasn’t going to be receptive to him right now, he gave it to Paul and left it to him to approach her with it.

‘I’m not taking anything from you!’ She roared at him.

‘Nah, Star it’s just blood girl, you need to calm down. There’s no way I would give you anything else in the state you’re in.’ Paul had managed to make her listen and convince her it was ok and she drank it. David sat back with Marko and watched her suck down more of the bottle than either of them had expected. She drank like a lost person in the desert and she finished the contents in one skull. She looked like she wanted more and David was relieved that he’d only put so much in there, enticing her desire for fresh blood had been what he needed to do to make her more open to the night’s plans. Marko’s feelings were oozing out of him and David seemed to accept them, but he also felt she’d been punished enough so would halt any more retaliation to come from Marko. The blood had been like a tonic and had calmed her down before their eyes.

‘I’m going to take her to get cleaned up, you guys go meet Dwayne down at the Boardwalk.’ David walked over to pick her up off the floor and Paul and Marko left to go find Dwayne.

‘I can get up.’ She shook him off of her and she stood up and put her jacket on then she stood in front of him as ready to go as she could be. ‘Why did you do that to me?’ She had calmed enough to speak in coherent sentences and she was asking him for a reason for his actions, but David didn’t answer to anyone, least of all a girl who had cheated on him.

‘Drop it Star,’ he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it now, ‘we’re going to get you cleaned up.’ He led her out of the cave and he found she followed without objection. He rode to a newly opened motel on the ridge and manipulated his way into a room, he wasn’t going to pay for any human amenities anymore, why should he when he could just take them? Walking into the room, David decided he would have the first shower being safe in the knowledge she wouldn’t be going anywhere looking like a horror movie victim. There were no marks lingering on his body from her, but to his surprise, he could still feel the impact of her fight and he involuntarily smiled at the capability she’d shown. She was going to make a formidable vampire. He showered and was out within 20 minutes.

‘Hurry up.’ He demanded as she went into the bathroom after him and she too was out rather quickly and just like the last time they were in a motel room together, she again emerged looking all soft and flushed and beautiful with her hair curling into tendrils on her shoulders. He was still wildly attracted to her and the mysterious allure she held still made him want to possess her. It was the same pull she had that made any man want her, but she was his and he revelled in having that power and control over her. Although he was finding that since the Michael incident years ago, she had regained some of her own power back and was a harder subject to manipulate now and the challenge both excited and frustrated him. Though the way she looked now, he had to stop himself from wanting to take her again and he turned and pulled his black t shirt on, finishing getting dressed.

‘David, I need something else to wear.’ She said flatly.

‘Pick something up on the Boardwalk. That’s where we’re going.’ He said dismissively, almost coldly, and she seemed to blindly accept it and got dressed hiding the dark red stains on her white camisole under her jacket and they left the motel within an hour.

Arriving at the Boardwalk, they walked into his old playpen and he felt at home. He felt comfortable and confident that he was where he belonged, surrounded by the misfits and lost souls and he had his pickings of suitable victims for the evening. He felt sure she would go through with it this time, she had to have got the point now that she was not to disobey his wishes without retaliation, and his punishments were escalating significantly. They walked down past the clothing and jewellery stores and the tacky souvenir shops then, without warning, he became aware she was no longer next to him. As he looked into one of the shops, he saw her perusing the racks of the nearest clothing store so he stood down near one of the rides and scanned the area for his boys but only saw young kids, looking the way he did back in the day, and young girls acting coy and flirtatious around those boys.

‘Where are you?’ He called out to all three of the boys but only Marko responded telling him they were down near the platform to the beach. He was growing impatient, which didn’t take much for him at the moment, and called for her to hurry up but he was far from expecting the girl that walked out. She appeared wearing a body fitting dress to the knee with a shimmery shirt flowing over the top. She looked stunning. She had tied her hair up in a loose bun and had pieces falling perfectly around her face, making her necklace stand out on her chest. She looked fit and toned and sexy as hell, which was not going to make his self-control easy, in fact she might as well be testing his limits again. He was taken aback by how beautiful she looked, which gave him a knot in his stomach. She walked out and past him, placing her previous clothing in the bin, and she instantly garnered male attention with whistles and men talking to her but she walked on like she hadn’t heard them and David was hot on her heels straight away.

‘How are you going to get on a bike wearing that?’ He enquired, genuinely interested in her answer.

‘I’ll manage. Or you’ll have to get a car. You don’t have a bike right now anyways.’ She answered with a slight tone of attitude. He stopped and just stared at her and she too stopped to look at him. ‘You know what they sell here, I didn’t have a lot of choice.’ She turned and began to walk away from him. ‘Where are we going?’ She called over her shoulder.

‘To the beach.’ Bitch. She was pushing him again and he was perplexed at her demeanour right now, as well as her choice in clothing and attitude but more so her balls to have such an attitude. He’d thought last night would have squashed her desire to act out but it seemed to have intensified it. Well, he’d soon fix that. He looked up and saw the sky void of any moon, just glittering stars in the darkness and his urge to decimate and feed welled up inside him. She was going to kill tonight for sure, he was going to make sure of it. Eyes were following her every move and he realised they were hardly inconspicuous walking down the boardwalk. Everyone would remember the girl in the tight dress with the bikers tonight which was going to restrict what he was going to be able to get away with. Had she done this on purpose? Was she trying to thwart his plans for the evening? She was sneaky, always had been. He began to search out the others a bit more anxiously and found Paul and Dwayne leaning over the railing overlooking the beach and watching a group of girls dancing around a bonfire in their bikinis. The boys both turned to see them approach and Paul’s eyes just about bugged out of his head when he saw Star. Even Dwayne had a reaction to her appearance and he looked over at David to how he was handling it before looking back at the scene below him. Great, he thought sarcastically, her looking like that was going to make tonight fun, and he shook his head.

‘Damn girl, you lookin fine!’ Paul couldn’t help himself and David shot him a look prompting Paul to put up his hands in mock surrender. 

‘Where’s Marko?’ David asked them and Dwayne turned his head but did not answer but Paul motioned over towards the popcorn stand where David saw Marko talking to Maria. David looked back and stepped over and stood next to Dwayne.

‘It had nothing to do with you.’ He said after a pause of silence. Dwayne looked to his left and acknowledged his leader. ‘I’ll make it up to you.’ He was surprised at David’s gesture and accepted it. It was too late now anyways, what was done was done and there was no use maintaining a grudge with him. David looked back towards Marko who was still talking to Maria and looked like he was making some headway so David looked over the railing at what was taking Dwayne’s attention.

‘Any talent?’ He asked Dwayne in an attempt to kill time until Marko was done and he surveyed the dancing bodies below.

‘You’re asking about talent when she’s over there looking like that?’ Dwayne looked over towards Star as she leaned with her back against the railing and watching the people walking past and ignoring the group of late teens that were loitering around trying to get her attention.

‘I’m not asking for me.’ David smiled at him and Marko walked up and deliberately bumped into Paul.

‘Have we found people to play with?’

‘Well, you have… or did she fuck you off already?’ Paul laughed.

‘I’m meeting her later.’ Marko shot back. ‘But in the meantime…’ He added looking down towards the girls and they all laughed.

They stood there taking in the sights of the girls dancing around, much to the delight of said girls, who were beginning to put on quite the performance for the boys above them. David again felt anxious to get things moving and he looked over at Star, who looked like she was in her own little world. She was standing out like her name sake on the dirty boardwalk platform staring in the opposite direction at some young boys and looking like she didn’t belong there. She paid no attention him or his boys, or the girls they were watching. But he did catch her smile towards one of the boys lingering around her trying to catch her eye and he looked over at him and felt the familiar pang of jealousy hit him, along with the desire to show them she belonged to him. He wondered if they might be the desired targets but they would be too noticeable, especially with the new surveillance system throughout the place. Big Brother was watching and David was going to have to play nice while he was there. He decided he needed to find a small group of beach sleepers down the Southern end of the beach and it was going to have to be soon, with the way he was feeling.

‘Come on boys, we’re out.’

‘Do we have to leave now? I mean, can’t we do that a little later?’ Paul whined hanging over the railing staring down that the girl whose bikini top was coming off. ‘Seriously…’

‘I ain’t going nowhere.’ Dwayne agreed and David looked at him. ‘You said you’d make it up to me…’ David sighed and knew he was going to have to compromise this time.

‘Ah, I guess I will see you guys in a couple of hours then.’ And before David had even finished his sentence, the boys headed off down towards the beach and, in a way, he wanted to join them. He would have in the past but there was no way he was going to leave her alone tonight. He walked over to her, placed his hand around her arm and told her they were going to get something to eat. As he escorted her away with him, he looked back at the young teens and gave them a superior assertion of his power and they looked away dejected, except one. There was something about him, something familiar, David could feel it but he wasn't going to pay him too much attention right now. He sensed Star was going to be enough trouble tonight, she’d always been one that he felt needed to supervise and both the Michael things had proven that need to him but she was acting rather reckless at the moment and he wanted to know why.

They walked into the new restaurant on the pier and instantly he felt eyes on both him and her but with his hand around her upper arm, he strode confidently through the bar ignoring the stares until he heard the bartender yelling towards them.

‘Hey, you’re back! You look amazing.’ He was talking to Star.

‘Thank you.’ She replied smiling at him she veered towards the bar and he held onto her tighter and steered her outside with him. He pulled the chair out for her at the nearest table and he watched her sit down before he took his seat. The bartender appeared at their table a little too quickly for David’s liking and was asking if they would like some drinks. David caught him wink at Star and it made him more than a little unimpressed with the exchange. Who the fuck is this guy?

‘Whiskey and a glass of champagne for my wife.’ David said ensuring in no uncertain terms that the bartender was unwanted here. The bartender left and David moved his penetrating stare to her. ‘How does he know you?’ She hesitated before answering.

‘This is where I met Edgar.’ She said confidently, almost arrogantly.

‘Really.’ He said watching her carefully. The headstrong, feisty Star was back and sitting opposite him and he wasn’t used to dealing with this one. It was something he wasn’t expecting to have to deal with either, he thought she may have withdrawn like she did in the past but instead she was bold in her demeanour and this intrigued him.

‘Excuse me, here are your drinks. A whiskey and a glass of champagne.’ The waitress said as she placed the drinks down. ‘Would you like some menus?’

‘Yeah.’ David replied moving his focus from the waitress back to Star. ‘What are you doing Star? The dress, the attitude… Is this because of last night?’ She raised her eyes to meet his and he saw her face darken at his question.

‘What about you? What the fuck is up with you? First you hit me before our… wedding… and then last night.’ He sat there calmly watching her tirade and expecting her to break. ‘You promised me you’d never let that happen to me again, and you were the one who did it to me.’ The last comment annoyed him. Was she trying to make him accountable again? Fuck that. How dare she turn this around on him. When was she going to let this go? The sooner she fed again, the better.

‘And you said you loved me and you tried to have me killed. Twice. Don’t you dare talk down to me.’ He’d had enough of this for tonight already and his fuse was low.

‘Are you ready to order?’ The waitress returned and interrupted them.

‘I’ll have a rib eye steak, rare, no blue. What do you want?’ He asked her.

‘Nothing.’ He’d gotten to her and she wouldn’t look at him.

‘She’ll have the same.’ In saying that, he’d pushed her further and she fired him a look of annoyance.

‘I don’t want to eat with you.’ She spat

‘Too bad. You don’t have a choice.’ He saw her shake her head in disgust. ‘Listen, I told you that I didn’t mean to do that to you. I’m not going to talk about this anymore.’ He took a large sip of his whiskey and felt it burn down his throat. He felt like getting hammered, like absolutely smashed, but he was unsure of how much control he’d have over himself. He looked at the ice floating around in his glass and wondered where the boys were and he looked up and out towards the beach to see if he could spot them. The night hadn’t exactly gone the way he’d planned but he was going to have a decent meal and finish it the way he’d wanted it to go.

‘David, why do you want to be with me so badly? I mean, look at you. You have girls looking at you all the time and you could literally have whoever you want.’ Was she complimenting him or challenging him? He couldn’t tell.

‘Yep. And I want you.’ Sensing where she was heading with this, he wanted to shut her argument down.

‘Even after everything we have been through? Everything I have done? Why bother? I just don’t get it.’

‘You don’t have to get it, you just have to accept it.’ He was getting bored. ‘Star, when I met you, I chose you there and then and I told you that it would be forever. That we would be together forever. I wasn’t kidding.’ Their meals arrived at just the right time and he thought she would drop it so he began eating.

‘Why don’t you find someone who will adore you? Who will willingly do what you want and be who you want them to be.’ She wasn’t going to quit. ‘David, too much has happened between us now for us to truly work.’ He’d had enough. She was pushing him to make the decision to leave her and he wasn’t having it.

‘Ugh, you know what? I tracked you to kill you, to get you back for what you did to us but when I saw you again, I realised I wanted you again. You know what I am, what we are. I let you in my world and I shared myself with you. Now you are my wife and I am done with this. I am not explaining myself to you or anyone else again.’ His words flew out of him like sour vinegar and he wanted that to be the end of it. ‘Now eat.’ 

‘I’m not hungry.’ She was sulking but he didn’t care.

‘You haven’t eaten in days.’ He said dismissively.

‘I’ll be fine.’

‘Fine. You’ll be feeding soon enough anyways.’ Whatever. He wasn’t about to beg her to eat, if she wanted to be a child about it she could starve. He ate the rest of his meal in peace. The place was filling up and even though there was food everywhere, the scent of blood was exceeding in his senses. Looking around, he felt Star’s stare on him again. What was with her? She’d gone from ignoring him to not leaving him alone. He was going to have to get out of there soon and stop this. ‘What?’ He asked her, not being able to take it anymore.

‘Do you feel like this all the time?’ She asked him and he was sick of her questions. What about him not being answerable to anyone didn’t she understand?

‘Like what?’ He didn’t know what she was talking about and was getting annoyed.

‘So… contentious.’ He clicked and looked up at her smiling at her. That was what was wrong with her. His blood was making her feel a tiny bit of what he was feeling and she finally had his interest again

‘You like it?’ He teased her and smiled when she looked away and began to pick at her dinner. After he finished his meal, he sat there watching her making her feel self-conscious. ‘Are you going to wear that all night?’

‘I don’t have anything else and I spent the last of my money on it. This town is stuck in the 80’s’ She said twirling her glass.

‘That’s why I like it. Star, you don’t need money. You can have whatever you want if you just do as I ask… I know you want to, you just have to let go.’ It was time they left. He couldn’t let her have any more of his blood or she’d be as difficult to control as he was finding it was to control himself. He compelled their way out of the restaurant and headed back down the Boardwalk.


	54. Nothing To Lose - Star's POV

She couldn’t stop crying. She had been the cause of many a funeral but she was devastated that her actions had been the cause of Laddie’s death. Not Laddie, anyone but him. Her head was spinning like a whirlpool and she was being sucked into oblivion. Even what David had done to her was nothing compared to what he’d done to Laddie. She couldn’t think and she felt like she had been emotionally crushed. David was evil. He was the most evil creature in the world to her and she now thought of him as the Devil.

‘Star.’ She heard his voice but was unable to control her sobbing enough to answer him, not that she wanted to, she never wanted to see or speak to him again. He had managed to successfully rip her heart out and destroy her twice in one night. The hatred and soul crushing depredation she was feeling was unlike anything she’d ever felt before in her life, it was so thick it was coursing through her veins like a lahar of anger and frustration and sorrow that she couldn’t control. She wondered if she would ever stop crying or ever be OK again. She wanted to die, she wanted the cold cave floor to open up and swallow her like it did the Hotel and she wanted to die. She actually wanted to turn now so she could stand out in the sun and burn until she was dust. What did she really have to live for? A life of killing with a husband who would do that to her? No thanks. She now had a reason to turn, so she could die. Paul came up beside her on the floor and offered her one of David’s old bottles.

‘I’m not taking anything from you!’ She screamed at him. No fucking way was she going to take any more spiked drinks from Paul. That was the catalyst that had started this whole mess.

‘Nah, Star it’s just blood. Girl, you need to calm down, there’s no way I would give you anything else in the state you’re in.’ He held her shoulder and made her listen to him. She looked into his blue eyes and noticed they were darker than David’s but still similar. Her focus had made her actually think about what he was saying to her. Blood, it was blood. As he passed her the bottle, she could smell it and it reawakened something in her. She wanted it, no she needed it and from the moment it touched her lips, she couldn’t drink it down fast enough then once it was gone she found she was hungry for more. Suddenly she felt calm, her breathing had settled and the tears had stopped. She felt almost stoned and that nothing mattered too much anymore. She sat on the floor and ran her fingers over the jewels on the bottle in and, her dazed state, she heard David talking around her but she paid him no real heed. He came and picked her up off the floor but she didn’t take his gesture well and reacted by jerking her arm out of his grasp and telling him she could get up on her own. She realised the other three had gone and saw David was ready to go so she put her boots and jacket on. She looked and felt like shit and really didn’t want to go anywhere and she stood before him and looked at him. He looked like he was taking care of her but she knew him well enough to know that he was very good at putting on a façade. His monster always lurked beneath the surface and she had to know why he’d allowed it to attack her in the way that it did.

‘Why did you do that to me?’ She quietly asked him, but as soon as she had spoken the words she saw his face change and his interest in answering anything she had to say diminish.

‘Drop it Star, we’re going to get you cleaned up.’ She actually liked hearing that, having a shower and washing both him and her blood off of her was just what she needed. It wasn’t going to wash away everything from last night but it was a start. She followed him out and rode with him in Mike’s car to one of the new motels that had sprouted up along the coast. He walked into the reception while she waited by the car and he emerged five minutes later with the key to one of the rooms. Upon entering, David walked straight into the bathroom and had a shower, leaving her in the room alone. Even though the blood was still making her feel warm and relaxed, she sat uncomfortably on the bed, like she was sitting on a plastic covered couch and she wasn’t supposed to be there. The blood had been David’s, she knew that because of the lingering effects and the level of intoxication she felt. His blood was a drug for her and right now she loved it. She hated it but she loved it. It was like she was a junkie who had just had a hit and it had taken all her troubles away. David appeared from out of the bathroom sooner than she was expecting and told her to hurry up as she walked past him and into the steamy room. The shower was like ecstasy and as she washed the blood out of her hair and off of her body, she felt all the stress draining out of her and she felt new again. She wasn’t thinking about what David had done to her or to Laddie or Mike or anything and if it was because of his blood, she was grateful for it right now. She climbed out of the shower and walked out wrapped in a towel.

‘David, I need something else to wear.’

‘Pick something up on the Boardwalk. That’s where we’re going.’ She turned and reluctantly put back on last night’s clothing and attempted to hide the evidence of the abuse she’d suffered from herself as much as the world. Getting back into Mike’s car, she was reminded again of the poor man’s demise and she was finding it was ruining her buzz which annoyed her. She didn’t want to be reminded of the mess she’d created or she’d start crying again so the sooner she got out of this car, the better. She felt composed and semi OK right now and she was looking forward to getting some new clothes and pretending none of this had happened. She didn’t like or accept anything that he’d done but she was stuck with him at the moment, so she couldn’t afford to dwell on it. This was all part of living with vampires and she knew it. David did the same as what he’d done with the BMW and gave the keys away, only this time to a group of kids smoking pot in the parking lot. Then they walked in the Boardwalk entrance and along the path then, within 5 minutes, she had ducked inside one of the clothing stores and was looking at what she could wear. Again she found everything was either short, tight or gypsy looking and she was going to go as far away from what she was wearing as she could. She found the classiest tight dress she could, which was a fitted, dark blue layered dress down to the knee and she found some sexy ankle high heeled boots to wear with it. She looked great, it defined her curves perfectly and she was happy with how different she looked. She tied her dark blond hair up in a bun and pulled specific ringlets down around her face. She looked and felt like a new person and she was ready to go out and try to take her mind off her current existence. She used the last of her money to pay for the outfit and walked out of the store. David turned to see her and she smiled to herself seeing his reaction and she walked past him and continued down the path when she heard the jeers from some men and it was exactly what she wanted have happen. She was going to put David off his game.

‘How are you going to get on a bike wearing that?’ She heard his voice behind her. It wasn’t something she’d thought about nor did she really care.

‘I’ll manage. Or you’ll have to get a car.’ She responded not looking at him. ‘You don’t have a bike right now anyways.’ She knew that comment might hit a nerve but again she didn’t really care. She knew he’d stopped walking and she could feel his stare so she turned to meet it. ‘You know what they sell here, I didn’t have a lot of choice.’ His blood had her feeling quite reckless and feisty and, in a way, he’d already done the worst he could to her so she figured, why not? She was going to rebel against his power and control over her and push him over the edge. He would either do one of two things; lose interest and leave or kill her. Either way, she would be free. This wasn’t the reaction she thought she was going to have after last night’s events and she again wondered if it was the influence of his blood on her. No wonder he was the way he was with a system full of that blood all the time. She actually felt like she understood him a bit more now. ‘Where are we going?’

‘To the beach.’ He answered. She continued walking without missing a beat and she worked it walking down her catwalk. She knew she was rocking it tonight and she was going to flaunt it for all it was worth. She had forgotten that this was once her territory just as much as it was theirs, she knew this place just as well as he did and she was going to reclaim her place here too. Yes, the boys had used her for bait, probably more often than what she even knew, but she had allowed it in many ways and now she was going to be her own bait and do her own form of hunting on these grounds. She felt an inner power welling up inside her and although she had a small niggling that she may be going overboard here, she chose to ignore it and go with her initial feeling and come what may. This is what she had trained for, what she’d tried to become mentally stronger for but she now realised her need for strength wasn’t to fight against him, it was to for her to deal with him in a more formidable fashion than what she had ever done in the past. For her to fight him on his terms. She was aware of the attention she was drawing as she walked down towards the beach and she was equally aware of the feelings that were being created within David and, knowing David, she knew he would react to it sooner rather than later and she smiled. She saw Paul and Dwayne perched over the railing at platform and as David approached to greet them, they both turned to look at them and the expression on Paul’s face said it all.

‘Damn girl, you lookin’ fine…’ She didn’t say anything but gave him a flirty smile and she didn’t see the look David gave him either but when Paul held his hands up she knew there had been one.

‘Where’s Marko?’ David asked Paul and when he motioned over towards the popcorn stand, both Star and David turned to see Marko talking to Maria. Star was surprised to see Maria not only still in Santa Carla but still on the Boardwalk and she was happy because she thought it would get Marko off her case. Marko still scared her and anything that would distract him from his desire to spill her blood was a bonus. But then again, maybe she should be provoking him too, that might be her back up plan. David walked over to talk to Dwayne and she moved a few feet away to stand alone and leaned against the same railing but facing the other way. She didn’t care about the dancing girls the boys were focussed on, or the boys themselves, and she hoped if she stood away from them, people wouldn’t associate her with them, especially with her looking the way she did. She could pretend to be alone and free as she watched the normal people of the world walk past her. She imagined what their lives were like with their work and their friends and their families. They paid bills and went shopping and had vacations in the sun. They lived normal lives. She observed the couples walking hand in hand and the teens, as young as she was when she met David, and she looked on almost enviously. The couples had pure love between them, real love that was kind and soft and caring. They didn’t want the other to kill someone in order to be with them. And the kids were so young and free and had their whole lives ahead of them. They had so much to look forward to, she had been through so much in her life and she felt so old. Marko walked back from talking to Maria and he flicked Star a glance and she saw him stifle his reaction to her as he went to stand with the rest of them. She was grateful she could still pull off an outfit like this, it made her still feel pretty and able to attract the eyes of others and that's exactly what she wanted to do. Make David jealous, make him see that he hadn't broken her even though he had. Which brought her to the men across from her trying to 'accidentally' make her notice them by being loud and showing off. David made her feel guilty that she still could draw that type of attention but she wondered if that was him projecting his own insecurities onto her, yet at the same time, she couldn’t imagine him being insecure about anything. He was too arrogant and sure of himself for that. She deliberately ignored David and his lost boys and smiled at the young boys opposite her. She watched them sizing up David and attempting to make themselves out to be better than him and his boys then she noticed one of them staring at her more so than the rest of them. He was the only one who was still and intently watching her, staring at her like David did, like he was looking into her and he gave her butterflies. He was cute and there was something about him that she liked but she didn’t know quite what it was. He was definitely making her have a certain reaction to him that she wasn't expecting. Suddenly Dwayne, Paul and Marko all bolted past her, down the platform stairs and onto the beach towards the dancing girls and David came over to her.

‘We’re going to get something to eat.’ He told her as he placed his hand around her upper arm pulling her with him and interrupting her eye contact with the young man. She had managed to rile him up again, this was going to be easier than she thought. They walked into the same bar that she’d met Edgar in and as they made their way through the bar area, she was again turning heads, more so than what she had initially intended to. But then she realised that half the eyes were on David, he commanded just as much attention as she did.

‘Hey, you’re back!’ The bar tender called out to her. ‘You look amazing.’

‘Thank you.’ She smiled at him and went to walk towards the bar but was pulled back by David. He didn’t say anything though, he didn’t need to, he just guided her out onto the balcony taking the first table he saw available. He pulled the chair out for her and she sat down, confused by his act of chivalry. He sat opposite her and seconds later the same bartender arrived at their table and asked if they’d like some drinks. He made the mistake of winking at Star as he asked and she subconsciously looked down.

‘Whiskey and a glass of champagne for my wife.’ David said staring down the man. The mention of the word wife was yet another layer of ownership over her and she looked at the ring on her finger and she hid her hand. The bartender awkwardly walked away and David looked at her. ‘How does he know you?’ He asked her, overly interested in her response. Star didn’t know what to say, it’s not like she could say this was where she met Edgar. Or could she? It didn’t matter to her anymore.

‘This is where I met Edgar.’ She said, sounding a little more defiant that she’d intended.

‘Really...’ The look on his face was unreadable. The drinks arrived via a waitress and she asked if they would like menus. David said yes and the waitress walked away again. ‘What are you doing Star?’ He sat there looking her over and she looked down. ‘The dress, the attitude… Is this because of last night?’ The question made her look up at him, why was he reminding her of her nightmare and acting as if she was the one in the wrong? Was he really asking her to answer for her behaviour? Now she was angry.

‘What about you? What the fuck is up with you? First you hit me before our… wedding… and then last night.’ She felt on the verge of tears again but she was angry enough to hold it together. ‘You promised me you’d never let that happen to me again, and you were the one who did it to me.’

‘And you said you loved me and you tried to have me killed. Twice. Don’t you dare talk down to me.’ She could see his patience with her draining away again when the waitress appeared to take their order.

‘Are you ready to order?’

‘I’ll have a rib eye steak, rare, no blue. What do you want?’ He answered.

‘Nothing.’ Star replied with her eyes fixed out to sea.

‘She’ll have the same.’ As he said the words, she shot him a dirty look and once the waitress had left, she told him she didn’t want to eat with him.

‘Too bad. You don’t have a choice.’ She shook her head. ‘Listen, I told you that I didn’t mean to do that to you. I’m not going to talk about this anymore.’ He drank his whiskey and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

She looked at him, not superficially, but really looked at him. His well-defined cheek bones and cutting jawline were lit up beautifully by the candle on the table and the string lights along the balcony railing next to the table. His eyes were sparkling sapphire blue pools flashing insights into his soul and were in perfect contrast to his platinum blond locks and his black jacket.

‘David, why do you want to be with me so badly? I mean, look at you. You have girls looking at you all the time and you could literally have whoever you want.’

‘Yep. And I want you.’ He said simply.

‘Even after everything we have been through? Everything I have done? Why bother? I just don’t get it.’

‘You don’t have to get it, you just have to accept it.’ He wasn’t interested in this conversation but she was going to push it regardless. ‘Star, when I met you, I chose you there and then and I told you that it would be forever. That we would be together forever. I wasn’t kidding.’ The waitress delivered their meals and he began eating.

‘Why don’t you find someone who will adore you? Who will willingly do what you want and be who you want them to be.’ She really wanted to know. ‘David, too much has happened between us now for us to truly work.’ David put down his knife and fork, his face changing, and she knew he was over her questioning.

‘Ugh, you know what? I tracked you to kill you, to get you back for what you did to us but when I saw you again, I realised I wanted you again. You know what I am, what we are. I let you in my world and I shared myself with you. Now you are my wife and I am done with this. I am not explaining myself to you or anyone else again.’ So he had come back to kill her. She didn’t understand him though, he treated her like a possession, a possession that he wants to kill and destroy. That may have been OK with the weak Star, but not this one. Is that was he was doing? Slowly destroying her? He had taken all her friends away, taken Laddie and Michael away, raped her and now was forcing her to fully be like him. Oh God, he was, he was taking over her entire existence again only this time he was much worse. She still had a healthy fear of him but she was now firmly resolved in her decision that she had nothing to lose and she was not going down without a fight. ‘Now eat.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘You haven’t eaten in days.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ She lied, she knew she needed to eat but she was not going to sit here with him like a couple and have what looked like a ‘romantic dinner’.

‘Fine. You’ll be feeding soon enough anyways.’ He smiled his satisfied smirk and carried on eating from his blood smeared plate. She looked at her plate, hating what he wanted her to do. She picked up a fork and stabbed a green bean and ate it without enthusiasm. The blood she’d had made her appetite dissipate and she really didn’t want to eat. In fact it made her want to go to the open stage and dance in the crowd and play and have fun. It made her want to engage in the night and revel in the darkness. Again she got a sense of what David must feel all the time and she looked at him with a new appreciation.

‘What?’ He asked her.

‘Do you feel like this all the time?’ She answered his question with a question.

‘Like what?’ He was confused and getting annoyed with all her questions.

‘So… contentious.’ He looked up at her and smiled knowingly and she regretted saying it.

‘You like it?’ He chuckled at her and she drank her champagne. She picked her way through the vegetables on her plate and resisted his last insistence she eat the steak. After he finished his meal, he sat there watching her and she felt really self-conscious. ‘Are you going to wear that all night?’

‘Yeah. I don’t have anything else and I spent the last of my money on it. This town lives in the 80’s.’ She said twirling her glass.

‘That’s why I like it. Star, you don’t need money. You can have whatever you want if you just do what I ask… I know you want to, you just have to let go.’ She was going to let it go alright, she was going to do a Harry Houdini and disappear into the crowd and run. There was no way she was killing anyone tonight.


	55. Chaos - David's POV

They headed back down to the beach but the boys weren’t anywhere to be found. He called out to them to see where they were but he didn’t get a response and David figured they must be having a better time than what he thought.

‘Where are they?’ Star asked looking around at everyone but him and he waited for her to actually look at him before he answered her.

‘I don’t know.' He stood and looked at her. 'Come on, we’re going for a walk.’ He went to place his arm around her waist but she spun out of his grasp and started walking. She looked nervous and uncomfortable and he assumed that she was apprehensive about her upcoming kill. He could hear her heart beating just standing next to her and she’d had the same reaction when he’d dumped Conner in front of her on the beach and demanded that she kill him. Conner had been her first chance and Laddie her second, her third was going to be the charm. He began to wonder if he really needed the others to do this, Marko was just going to be a pain in the ass and Dwayne was still a bit pissy with him but David realised he wanted them there, he wanted the joint projection of influence from all of them to really put the pressure on her, especially with the attitude she was suddenly displaying with his blood pulsating through her veins. He should have used Paul’s blood, he knew that his blood was too strong for her the last time he’d given it to her but she craved it, he could feel it, but she didn’t want just anyone’s blood, she wanted his blood. He smiled at that, knowing that that was something she would struggle with regardless of anything and that would be another pull to him. She walked before him and he watched her and the stir she caused as she walked past the young men. He followed her down towards the stage and scanned the crowd for suitable victims, guessing a man would be easier to pull, as a girl would just want to be with him and he wasn’t about to flaunt that in front of her right now. In the mood she was in, she was liable to lose the plot, he could see how jittery she was and he was wondering how bad she was potentially going to get. She was slowly dancing away from him and towards the mass of people just down the path when a young man came over and spoke to her.

‘Hey, would you like to come and dance?’ He asked her, hopeful for a positive response. She was standing far enough away from him and the boy had obviously not put two and two together and realised that she was with him. David watched her eyes light up at his question and the boy got the answer he was looking for from her then just as she went to walk off with him, David grabbed her wrist hard and held her there.

‘Star.’ He punctured her with his stare and she relinquished her rebellion to go with the boy and moved back to stand next to David. David flicked his eyes towards the boy and he backed off, mumbling something about her having a good night and sulked away, then he directed his eyes at Star and she looked down.

‘Pushing me even further huh?’ She shot her head up.

‘No David, I’m not.’ She was wary. ‘I just wanted to dance.’

‘I don’t trust you. And you’re not going anywhere without me.’ He pulled her away with him from the crowd, he’d decided that he wasn’t going to find anyone here and he wanted to leave. He called for the boys again and Paul finally answered him telling him they were down the southern end of the beach and dinner was about to be served. Walking past one of the stores he lifted a black jacket and gave it to her.

‘Take this, we’re going to the beach.’

‘You can’t just take that.’ She said shocked but not surprised at his action.

‘I told you, you don’t need money and the money we do get does not go to these street rip offs.’

‘I’m not wearing it.’ She told him defiantly and David stopped and glared at her.

‘Put it on.’ He told her, his tone changing and she put the jacket on. He’d had enough of tonight and was more than ready for a kill. They headed down via the main street towards the end of the beach and cut down a side street to an entrance, where the boys were and found them toying with the bikini clad girls from earlier, only they were now wasted or barely conscious. The boys had obviously had their way with them and David felt a twinge of jealousy that he couldn’t have joined them in their debauchery.

‘What have we got here?’ David asked striding up the beach.

‘Where’s he been?’ One of the girls drunkenly called out. ‘He could have joined in on our fun!’ She proclaimed leaning over Paul’s legs as they all sat on the beach around a small fire Marko had made. The girls were laying all over them and David smiled knowing what had happened hours earlier. They were definitely his boys alright and he’d taught them well.

‘Who’s she?’ The loud one on Paul called out, trust Paul to have a loud one. ‘Hey, stalker bitch, these boys are ours, go find your own!’

‘Shut up,’ Paul smacked her ass. ‘That’s David’s girl.’

‘My wife.’ David corrected him.

‘Right, his wife.’ Paul agreed.

‘You’re married? Oh… well she doesn’t have to stand over there like a stalker…’ The girl was obnoxious and David was bored of her already. He looked over towards Star and she was still standing near the entrance to the beach.

‘Come here Star.’ She remained where she was and shook her head. ‘Now.’ He wasn’t playing and he made sure she knew she had no choice. This was it, his boys had found the perfect victims for her. Star walked towards him and he smirked at her eventual compliance.

‘Oh, she’s hot. I’ll play with her.’ One of the girls hanging off Dwayne announced. ‘You like girls?’ David smirked at gave Star a sideways look but Star remained quiet.

‘Why were you standing over there like a stalker?’ Slurred the girl with Paul. ‘We’re not going to hurt you.’ She said dismissively to Star and David smiled at the irony of her comment.

‘It’s time boys.’ David commanded and the boys all transformed into their true selves and he felt Star try to step away but he held on to her. ‘Oh no, this is all for you.’

‘No.’ Star said as she watched Paul and Marko latch onto the girls near them.

‘Yes, Star.’ David affirmed her fear and the other girls began screaming as they clicked to what was happening to their friends. Dwayne was on one of his two girls while Marko had hold of his other girl for David after he’d fed on the first one. Paul stood up to grab Dwayne’s other girl for Star and suddenly he was shot straight through the neck with a bow and arrow. David’s head shot around when he heard Star shriek and he saw Paul drop to the sand, choking. The arrow was clean through his throat and his eyes were bulging in shock.

‘What the fuck?!’ Marko cried and silence fell in the group. Star ran to Paul crying and another arrow just missed her back. The girl ran screaming down the beach and Marko snapped the neck of the other one he was holding just as Dwayne flew towards where he thought the arrow had come from. David felt things spinning way out of control, all Hell was breaking loose in front of him and he wanted to follow Dwayne and rip apart whoever had hunted them, but he had to go after the screaming girl, he was not going to let another one go like Edgar or Laddie. He was so angry over Paul that he tore the girl apart mercilessly and he wasn’t 100% sure he hadn’t been noticed with the noise that both of them made but he didn’t care, he had to get back to help Dwayne and to save Paul. This was insane. He crudely dumped her out in the ocean and came back to his boys but was nowhere near expecting to see what he saw.


	56. Chaos - Star's POV

She walked beside him back down towards the beach and was quietly relieved when they weren’t there.

‘Where are they?’ She asked searching the people dotted around bonfires on the beach and along the Boardwalk. She became aware of the silence growing between them and she looked at him to see what he was looking at that was keeping him from answering her and he was just staring at her.

‘I don’t know.’ He paused. ‘Come on, we’re going for a walk.’ He said as he tried to place his arm around her and she twisted out of his reach and walked ahead of him. The boys being gone gave her more time to formulate how she was going to vanish, she wished there were more people on the Boardwalk tonight, more people would make it easier. She knew it was going to be explicably hard to do but it was going to be now or never because she also knew that he wasn’t going to let her get away with remaining a half tonight if she stayed and that right there was the glaring problem with her plan to go, she would still be a half. She would still have that unrelenting desire for blood, for his blood. It was an unexpected yet powerful connection that was giving her a reason to stay around him and she hated it. She managed to guide him down towards the stage where she could soak up some of the atmosphere and energy coming from the people partying there, there was a large rock band blasting the crowd with loud drum and bass and the throng of people were well into it and all she wanted to do was become immersed in it with them. A fairly smartly dressed young man approached her and asked her if she’d like to join him in a dance and she immediately said yes and moved to leave with him when she felt David’s hand wrap around her wrist and his deep smooth as silk voice compelling her as he’d done so in the past.

‘Star.’ That was all he’d ever needed to say to influence her to do as he wished. The man looked at David as if he’d just noticed him and now that he had, he backed off telling her to enjoy her night. He squeezed his hand tighter around her wrist she threw him a dirty look but upon seeing the look on his face she pulled her expression back, he looked wildly angry at her and she looked down like a puppy being told off.

‘Pushing me even further huh?’ He said in a low calm voice, full of power and she looked at him with a twinge of fear in her eyes.

‘No David, I’m not. I just wanted to dance.’ He pulled her with him and walked away from the stage. She looked up at him walking beside her and studied him in all his controlled anger and he was a terrifyingly beautiful male specimen. She was disturbed by her attraction to him despite all he had done and in contrast, she hated his domination of her. She wanted to fight against him and do whatever she needed to do to be free of him but she needed to be smart and keep him from suspecting anything, if he didn’t already. As she walked with him and he swiped a jacket off a stand outside a store and handed it to her, without breaking his stride.

‘Take this, we’re going to the beach.’ She knew she’d aggravated him by what she was wearing but now he was demanding she cover up and she felt stifled by him, but that wasn’t new.

‘You can’t just take that.’ She said.

‘I told you, you don’t need money and the money we do get does not go to these street rip offs.’ She agreed they were rip offs, they always had been but she still didn’t want to wear it. It didn’t even match her dress, it looked like it could be her boyfriend’s jacket but that’s probably what he wanted.

‘I’m not wearing it.’ She told him flatly and he stopped and gave her a look she knew all too well.

‘Put it on.’ He told her, and she knew to put the jacket on whether she liked it or not. He led her down towards the end of the beach and they walked on the street instead of down on the sand which, wearing the shoes she was, she was grateful for. They walked past a couple of cops on the beat and they looked at her a little too closely as she passed them and she was suddenly reminded of the fact that she was still wanted by the police in California for multiple deaths. She needed to find a computer and google some news on the status of where things were at but for now, she needed to keep a low profile, which meant staying with David. They went down a tree lined side street and out onto the beach, where the glow of fire light was visible. David walked ahead and she stayed by the fence line watching the boys, there were five girls with the three boys all in varying states of intoxication and they all turned to see David approach. Dwayne had one lying between his legs, the both of them facing the fire and another one beside him and Marko had one behind him and another with her head in his lap, although the one in his lap was practically unconscious, or maybe she was dead. Star couldn’t tell.

‘What have we got here?’ She heard David ask as he walked up towards them and was bathed in the glow of the fire.

‘Where’s he been? He could have joined in on our fun!’ Star looked at the girl slithering all over Paul’s legs, one of her breasts just about falling out of her bikini top. ‘Who’s she?’ She continued pointing at Star, obviously wanting even more attention than she was already getting. ‘Hey stalker bitch, these boys are ours, go find your own!’ Star was surprised she could even see her in her state.

‘Shut up,’ Star heard the slapping sound from where she stood so Paul must have slapped her pretty hard. ‘That’s David’s girl.’

‘My wife.’ David corrected him. Wife. There was that word again. She twirled her ring around her finger nervously, dreading what was about to happen and wishing she could turn around and run.

‘Right, his wife.’ Paul smiled over towards her.

‘You’re married? Oh… well she doesn’t have to stand over there like a stalker…’ David looked over his shoulder at her and smiled and she returned his smile with a dead pan expression.

‘Come here Star.’ She remained where she was and shook her head. She was closer than she wanted to be already. ‘Now.’ She knew in his tone he wasn’t going to tolerate her disobedience and she reluctantly walked to him.

‘Oh, she’s hot. I’ll play with her.’ Both Star and David looked down at the girl lying on Dwayne. ‘You like girls?’ She asked Star and she half rolled her eyes.

‘Why were you standing over there like a stalker?’ Paul’s girl threw the comment carelessly at Star wanting to embarrass her and Star figured she viewed her as a threat. ‘We’re not going to hurt you.’ Star flicked her eyes to the girl but said nothing.

‘It’s time boys.’ She heard David say and she instinctively stepped back. ‘Oh no, this is all for you.’ He stopped her and she began to shake.

‘No.’ Star said to herself watching the monsters come out to play.

‘Yes Star.’ David leaned in and said close to her ear before the girls began screaming as they saw what had happened to the sexy bikers on the beach and what they were doing to two of their friends. One was on the sand dead and Paul had thrown the noisy one on the flames already and, as he turned towards Star she saw, with even more horror, his throat explode with an arrow splitting through it and Paul fall to the ground unable to breathe. David, who had been watching her, flicked his head around to see Paul on the ground and she heard Marko say what the fuck, but it was like everyone froze and just watched the pool of blood around Paul grow. Then Star heard the girl screaming and she was snapped out of it and she couldn’t help but go to Paul’s side, tears flooding her eyes. In an instant the already surreal scene in front of her had become even more twisted and unbelievable. Star had no comprehension of what was happening around her, where anyone was or what they were doing. All she knew was that Paul was hurt, maybe fatally, she couldn’t tell whether this was going to be something he could survive but the amount of blood that he was losing was phenomenal and she was getting really scared. Dwayne flew off in a rage towards the direction of where he thought the arrow had originated and David went after the screaming banshee straight after and Star was left not knowing what to do to help Paul.

‘Marko, please help him?!’ She pleaded with the shocked vampire but he turned away and took off after Dwayne. They had all left her alone with Paul and she was watching him die. Blood, he needed blood. Blood had bought him back last time, it would do it now! She frantically searched for something to cut herself with but couldn’t find anything but a stick. She quickly knew what she had to do and she felt her canines elongate in her mouth and she sliced her wrist allowing the blood to pour into his mouth but he kept spitting it out and choking. With an arrow through his throat, he wasn’t able to swallow and logically she should have known that but, panicking like she was, she wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Suddenly a hand appeared in front of her and snapped the back of the arrow off and pulled the other end out, leaving a large open wound. As she looked up to see who was helping her and, expecting to see David, her mind was blown apart all over again as she looked at the face of yet another ghost.


	57. Accountability - David's POV

As David approached the scene of chaos that he’d left, everyone was still and silent and he saw the silhouette of a man bent over the wounded body on the ground. Thinking it was Marko, David continued walking when he noticed Dwayne was in possession of the assassin and he was pleased Dwayne had left him alive presumably for him to deal with or, even better, for Star to finish off. Looking closer, he saw it was Edgar then David saw Marko standing just behind Dwayne and he halted his stride. Who was tending to Paul? Star went to move away and the shadow man grabbed her roughly which spiked his urgency to discover the identity of who would have the balls to do that to his girl. Then it hit him and it hit him like a freight train. The way he’d been feeling the last few days, his insatiable need to decimate his kills along with the unidentifiable stirring within him. It all made sense now and he knew who the shadow man was, but it still didn’t alleviate the shock he felt in seeing him again.

‘Max.’ The shrouded man looked up at him, his eyes glowing in the darkness. ‘You’re alive. Where did you…’ Max was instantly angry and shoved Star to the ground and charged over to David giving him a sharp backhand across the face. Not many people surprised David like that but Max had.

‘What the fuck have you done?’ David’s head spun back around so fast he could have got whiplash. ‘This is no fucking joke David!’ David felt another smack before he even knew what had happened, he’d forgotten how insanely fast the elder vampire could be. You could hit David once but not twice and now he had his back up. ‘It took me years to find you and once I did, well, you have made quite the traceable mess haven’t you?’ Max began. ‘Imagine my surprise when I am watching the news and I see a story about a young man and his girlfriend being found, mutilated in their beds, and his name just happens to be Michael Emerson. I knew it had to be you. A few months later and two more people are found in the same manner in Santa Monica within days of each other, one a cop.’ What was this? A lecture? Did Max really come back to lecture him? ‘And there’s the abortion that you left in the Sawmill parking lot, leaving blood everywhere, ‘unusual blood’ according to the news, along with a self-proclaimed ‘paranormal hunter.’ Sloppy David. Did I not teach you anything? Then that stupid little boy being found barely alive in the woods ‘drained of blood.’’ David slid his eyes to Star then to Dwayne across the fire and sent them both a silent fuck you. ‘And what the fuck did you do in Vegas? Four more cops was it? Along with a multitude of others?’ David looked away, even he knew that he’d gone over the top on that one. ‘Plus the bloodbath you left in Huntington Beach. It just goes on and on.’ Laddie’s death must have made the news too. ‘Of course that made the news,’ Max addressed David’s thoughts, ‘they think they have a serial killer on their hands with the trail you lot have been leaving. And they think it has something to do with the girl they were interested in who went missing from Santa Monica. Have you lost all control?’ The question was rhetorical. ‘Apparently you have, leaving bodies here there and everywhere and allowing the likes of this to escape?’ David watched Max walk over and retrieve Edgar from Dwayne. ‘Seriously? I mean, seriously? He and his asshole brother should have been the first thing you took care of.’ Max tore Edgar’s head off and tossed it at David’s feet. Max always did have a flair for the dramatic. ‘Well, I’ll finish that off for you.’ David was pissed. He was being publically chastised and he didn’t appreciate it and now he’d missed out on torturing Edgar. Paul was coughing and spluttering but he was breathing, sort of, and David looked over at him, at least Max had done something useful here. Star tried to move towards Dwayne and Marko but Max grabbed her again and pulled her to him and David had just about had enough. ‘And this one. You came back for this lying, disloyal little slut? I thought you would be too old to be thinking with your dick David.’ Now Max was trying to embarrass him and he couldn’t take any more.

‘Oh, and what were you doing with Lucy?’ David fired back with a dirty smile and knowing that was exactly what Max was doing. It had nothing to do with becoming a nice big happy family, he had wanted a woman. Michael and Sam were going to be David’s problem and that’s exactly why David had wanted Star to kill Michael, so he wouldn’t have to deal with him.

‘She ruined that!’ Max roared, holding Star out in front of David. ‘‘I always said your obsession with her would lead to trouble one day! She should be dead after what she did!’ David recognised the look in Star’s eyes and knew she was terrified. In a way, it was what she needed to cut her attitude down but David was quietly concerned Max was actually going to kill her. He stood there still and poised to strike.

‘Oww. David…’ She cried to him and Max belted her.

‘Shut up.’ Max scolded her. Dwayne and Marko moved to stand by David sensing what was brewing but not really knowing what they had to offer against the thousand year old creature and Max knew it. Max seemed to know everything.

‘What are you gonna do against me? Huh? This is MY pack and I’m taking it back. And I decide who is going to be a part of it and in what capacity.’ He said placing his long nails around Star’s throat.

‘She’s my wife.’ David quietly informed him, watching Max’s face change at the disclosure of this information. It was something Max didn’t already know and he was surprised.

‘Wife? You married her?’ Max was cautious, thinking David could be bluffing him.

‘What do you think we were doing in Vegas?’ David said. ‘Check her hand.’ Max let her throat go and grabbed her left hand to see the old turquoise ring on her ring finger. He dropped her hand and looked up, a bit taken aback.

‘You did it. You actually married her.’ Max lifted an eyebrow. ‘David, I’m impressed. You married the girl who’s plotted your death. Twice. Well done.’ David looked away repressing the urge to lash out at his former leader. ‘Well Mr Married Man, as your too busy taking care of your libido and not your pack, I’m taking Paul with me and I will regain control of this situation. In fact, I will take this with me too.’ He said shoving Star at him again. ‘Apparently you can’t think straight while she’s around, even more so now than before. But wearing that, I’m not surprised.’ Max looked Star up and down disapprovingly.

‘You’re not taking her anywhere.’ David countered Max’s declaration and Max’s face changed to Black Death.

‘Don’t you dare defy me David or you will go the way of my other sons,’ Max pulled Star up close to him and licked her cheek smiling at David. ‘And I will find a use for her.’

‘What do you want me to do?’ David backed off. He knew when he could push Max and when to do as he was asked.

‘Tidy up the mess you have left and reclaim your place. As soon as that’s done and Paul is well, we will discuss what we are going to do moving forward.’

‘What am I supposed to do?’ David asked, not liking where Max was going with this. He had an ominous tone to his plan of moving forward and it reminded him of the last time Max had a plan for David and the boys.

‘Work it out David, because if I have to sort everything out for you, you will find yourself a widower. You’ve always been my favourite son, and you have outlived all my others but I will not tolerate your actions any longer. Get your shit together or one of my other boys will take your place.’ He said looking over toward Dwayne and Marko. ‘I will call for you soon.’ In an instant Max, Star and Paul were gone and again, David had forgotten the power his leader possessed in being able to take both of them together. David’s world had been turned upside down and he wasn’t happy.


	58. Accountability - Star's POV

‘M-Max?’ She was just as shocked as she was when she first saw David again. She looked over towards Dwayne and Marko, who were standing there holding a heavily wounded but still alive Edgar and staring at the man in front of them.

‘Max?’ Marko echoed Star’s disbelief and she looked back at the elder vampire, who had sliced his own wrist and was feeding Paul only not orally, via the gash in his throat. Star backed away quickly but Max grabbed her with his other hand by her hair and stopped her.

‘Max. You’re alive.’ Even David looked shocked at his leader’s presence. ‘Where did you…?’ Max threw Star roughly to the ground and stormed over to David and slammed his hand across his face hard.

‘What the fuck have you done?’ Max roared at David and David whipped his head back to face Max. ‘This is no fucking joke David.’ With a loud crack Max backhanded him again and everyone was now very tense as to what was happening. Star remained on the sand too afraid to move. ‘It took me years to find you and once I did, well, you have made quite the traceable mess haven’t you?’ He was addressing all the boys but mainly David and David stood there calm and fairly insolent considering. ‘Imagine my surprise when I am watching the news and I see a story about a young man and his girlfriend being found mutilated in their beds and his name just happens to be Michael Emerson. I knew it had to be you. A few months later and two more people are found in the same manner in Santa Monica within days of each other, one a cop.’ Star’s heart began to hurt knowing she was the reason David had done all of this. ‘And there’s the abortion that you left in the Sawmill parking lot, leaving blood everywhere, ‘unusual blood’ according to the news, along with a self-proclaimed ‘paranormal hunter.’ Sloppy David. Did I not teach you anything?’ His condescending tone was unnerving as was his knowledge of everything they’d done. ‘Then that stupid little boy being found alive in the woods ‘drained of blood.’’ David slid his eyes at her and then over to Dwayne for that one. ‘And what the fuck did you do in Vegas? Four more cops was it? Along with a multitude of others? Plus the bloodbath you left in Huntington Beach. It just goes on and on.’ Oh God, that must have been Laddie. She closed her eyes. ‘‘Of course that made the news, they think they have a serial killer on their hands with the trail you lot have been leaving. And they think it has something to do with the girl they were interested in who went missing from Santa Monica.’ What? Oh God, it had gotten worse for her. ‘Have you lost all control? Apparently you have, leaving bodies here there and everywhere and allowing the likes of this to escape?’ He walked over and yanked Edgar out of Dwayne’s hands and held him off the ground by his hair. ‘Seriously? I mean, seriously? He and his asshole brother should have been the first thing you took care of.’ He tore Edgar’s head clean off before their eyes and threw it at David’s feet and Star was rocked, she wasn’t used to witnessing this degree of brutality. ‘Well, I’ll finish that off for you.’ Paul began coughing and breathing again, everyone had been so shocked by the appearance of Max that they had momentarily forgotten about him but to her surprise his throat had closed up with the help of Max’s blood. Star jumped up and went to move towards Dwayne and Marko but again Max grabbed her and pulled her to him. ‘And this one. You came back for this lying, disloyal little slut? I thought you would be too old to be thinking with your dick David.’ Max was berating him.

‘Oh, and what were you doing with Lucy?’ David spat but Max wasn’t having it.

‘She ruined that!’ Max roared again, holding Star out in front of David. ‘‘I always said your obsession with her would lead to trouble one day!’ Star began to shake with Max hurting her greatly the way he was holding her. ‘She should be dead after what she did!’ She looked towards David and he just stood there looking from Max to her and back again.

‘Oww. David…’ She said involuntarily and was punished for it.

‘Shut up.’ Max scolded her and he looked back at David, who was now flanked with his boys. 

‘What are you gonna do against me? Huh? This is MY pack and I’m taking it back. And I decide who is going to be a part of it and in what capacity.’ She felt his claws digging into her trachea and tears formed in her eyes. She was absolutely petrified.

‘She’s my wife.’ David stated calmly.

‘Wife? You married her?’ Max kept his hand there but his grip loosened with this news. For the first time she was relieved to hear the word.

‘What do you think we were doing in Vegas?’ David said. ‘Check her hand.’ Max moved his hand from her throat to her left hand to see the ring on her finger before dropping her hand again.

‘You did it. You actually married her. David, I’m impressed. You married the girl who’s plotted your death. Twice. Well done.’ David was seething and she could see it. She felt in a very precarious position being between the two of them. ‘Well Mr Married Man, as your too busy taking care of your libido and not your pack, I’m taking Paul with me and regain control of this situation. In fact, I will take this with me too.’ Star was pushed towards David and she looked at him supplicating for his assistance. ‘Apparently you can’t think straight while she’s around, even more so now than before. But wearing that, I’m not surprised.’ She hoped he would reach out and grab her, she was gut wrenchingly scared of going anywhere alone with Max.

‘You’re not taking her anywhere.’ David remained calm, it was super human the way he would just take everything in his stride but she wished he wouldn’t right now.

‘Don’t you dare defy me David or you will go the way of my other sons.’ Others? Max had others? She looked at Dwayne and Paul and from the expressions on their faces, they knew nothing of these others, but when she looked at David he remained emotionless. Could these others come back? Could they want to kill her for the havoc she seemed to have caused their maker? This was too much for her and she felt faint. Max pulled her back towards him and she felt his tongue slide up her cheek. She closed her eyes to his touch and felt repulsed. ‘And I will find a use for her.’ Oh God, she didn’t want to find out what that would be. David, please do something. She didn’t take her eyes off him but she knew he wasn’t going to do anything, he wasn’t able to because something in David’s face had changed and he was now on the back foot.

‘What do you want me to do?’ Was David going along with this? Would he do what this creature wanted of him? Of course he would, just like Paul and Dwayne and Marko would do what he wanted. She was supposed to too, it was the way it was meant to be.

‘Tidy up the mess you have left and reclaim your place. As soon as that’s done and Paul is well, we will discuss what we are going to do moving forward.’ She didn’t want to go anywhere with any of them moving forward.

‘What am I supposed to do?’ David asked.

‘Work it out David, because if I have to sort everything out for you, you will find yourself a widower.’ Oh God no. No, no, no, he was going to kill her. She knew how insubordinate David could be when he wanted to and she began to really worry that she had fucked up. Did she still mean that much to him that he would do what Max asked of him to save her anymore? She regretted ever doing wrong by him right now. One minute she’s plotting to leave him and now she’s begging to stay with him. She was all over the place and this was fast becoming an emotional rollercoaster she didn’t enjoy. ‘You’ve always been my favourite son, and you have outlived all my others but I will not tolerate what your actions any longer. Get your shit together or one of the other boys will take your place. I will call for you soon.’ Suddenly Max shot skyward taking her and, to her surprise, the still unconscious Paul with him.


	59. Unbelievable - David's POV

‘Fuck.’ David said aloud, but to no one in particular. David’s head was reeling and he was fuming. He didn’t want Max back, he was enjoying his autonomy and definitely didn’t want to be governed by that dick again. He was grateful that Paul would be healed faster with Max’s blood but Max’s blood being directly in Paul’s system would alter his loyalty to David and that was not acceptable to him. Max was a pure blood, he was born a vampire which made him stronger and an infinitely more powerful being and, although David respected him, he hated the level of power Max held. David envied it, he longed for it and despite the fact he was made of Max’s blood and wielded a great deal of power and influence of his own, he wasn’t Max. But Max was old school and held onto many of the old traditions that David, being a 20th Century vampire did not. David had held fast to what Max desired and did his bidding dutifully but as the century came to a close, and with the addition of his gang along with society changing so drastically, David’s attitude had also changed. He embraced his own form of leadership and had enticed Star into the fold, against Max’s orders, and he’d began asserting his power on his life which had obviously prompted Max to engage in the whole Lucy thing and everything fell apart. David wanted the pack as his own. He thought he was free of Max and, now knowing Max was back, he wanted it more than ever. He thought of Star’s miscarriage and he realised that was how he was going to break free of Max. He was going to spawn a new pack of his own and he would have a pack of pure bloods under him, which would add a whole new dynamic that he didn’t think Max would want to deal with and David strategically thought had the possibility of making Max leave. He was going to have to get Star back first, and get the bitch to turn, but he’d have to make sure Max didn’t kill her first, which meant he was going to have to go along with Max in the meantime.

‘Woah! What the fuck?!’ Marko blurted out. ‘You wanna fill us in here?’ David pulled out a cigarette and calmly gave one to each of them, except Marko, who didn’t smoke..

‘Did you know he was back?’ Dwayne asked before lighting his stick.

‘No.’ David replied, exhaling a large cloud of smoke. ‘Not specifically but it kinda makes sense now doesn’t it?’ David looked back at Dwayne and Dwayne raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in acknowledgement.

‘What the fuck are we going to do?’ David glanced towards his Marko and saw he was freaked out. He was then reminded of what Marko had been through and he recognised that the fear in his face was because he didn’t want his regained security of being back with his pack being taken away from him again. Well, regardless of Max being back or not, David wasn’t going to let anything happen to Marko, or any of his boys again. He looked down and saw Edgar’s head still at his feet and he kicked it into the fire and taking David’s lead, Dwayne picked up Edgar’s body and threw that also into the fire. The attack on Paul had taken David by surprise though and he could not be ambushed like that again, no wonder Marko was freaked out, that was exactly what had happened the first time. Fuck it, Max was right. David had been too busy focussing on Star turning to pick up on the inherent danger around them and the threat that was there. 

‘I don’t know yet Marko but I’ll sought it. This is nowhere near the end of it.’ David was distracted and not really giving Marko the answers or attention he needed but David was struggling to think straight himself.

‘David, are there others? Does Max have others? Marko asked.

‘There were.’ David confirmed between inhales, ‘but they’re gone now. There’s just us.’ This was not something that David wanted to talk to Marko about right now. It was only going to make him worse.

‘Did Max kill them?’ Marko was looking for information and reassurance, he needed to calm down and it didn’t help with Paul being in the state he was in and off somewhere with Max.

‘Max is a very old school vampire Marko,’ David began to explain to him as he put his arm around his shoulder, ‘and he has a particular way of dealing with things. Don’t worry, we are going to be far stronger than Max. Once we have Paul and Star back…’

‘No! She is not coming back!’ Marko instantly reacted. ‘This is her fault David and that bitch finally needs to get what’s coming to her! Even Max said she’s more trouble than she’s worth!’ Marko exploded. ‘I am not going to die because you have a sick fetish over her! If you bring her back, I’ll kill her myself. Or I’m gone.’

‘Then you will die.’ David let him go and turned to face him. ‘She is my wife Marko and I will be the one to finish her if that’s what has to happen but for now she is a key figure of our future. As will be Maria if you choose her.’ He had Marko’s undivided attention. ‘And Kelly if you choose her.’ He directed the comment towards Dwayne and Dwayne looked up at the mention of her name. Nothing got past David, he noticed everything and had surprised Dwayne by remembering her name. ‘And if you leave our pack, Max will kill you. He will not tolerate any other vampires, other than his own, in his territory and he’ll see it as treachery if you leave. You’re one of his boys and he’ll kill you if you leave the sanctity of the pack.’

Dwayne stared back at the fire after listening to David try to placate Marko and wondered what plan David had in mind and how Max was going to react to it, if Max didn’t already know about it. He feared for Paul, and even for Star, if Max did know. If Max saw Marko leaving as treachery, what would he view David’s plan as? What was David devising that involved Kelly? Or Maria for that matter, was he going to induct them in the pack? Is that what he wanted? He felt nervous going against Max knowing that Max had executed his previous sons but he knew he couldn’t go against David. His simple life as a vampire was all but a memory since the Emerson event and although he trusted David, he hoped he knew what he was doing.

‘You’re on the right track.’ David voiced his response to Dwayne’s thoughts and sometimes Dwayne really hated it but right now he welcomed it. ‘Max wants me to get our territory back? We’re going to get it back alright…’

The birds began chirping in the warm early morning air and the boys knew they didn’t have long before they were going to have to retreat to their lair. David needed to think, he needed to calm down and actually process what had happened and how he was going to rectify what had transpired. Marko was in a state of shock and David figured the best thing for all of them would be to go back to the Cave and become numb.

‘I’ll see you back at the Cave.’ David told them before disappearing into the night leaving them to ride back. The ride would do both of them good too he thought.

David made it back before the other two which gave him time to light the barrels and locate Paul’s stash. As he sat down to roll up, he thought of everything that had happened and where he’d gone wrong, or if he’d gone wrong. Should he have just killed Star the night he’d followed her to the nightclub? If he’d completed his original mission and fulfilled his reason for finding her, none of this would have happened. Or was it all meant to play out like this? He may never have found Paul and Dwayne again if she hadn’t have run off to that party. Why couldn’t he let Star go? What was the pull she held over him and why was it so strong? Once he’d seen her again, he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it, she was the only girl he’d ever actually loved or really cared about. He’d even married her and he didn’t take that lightly. But despite his feelings for her, the problems she caused him barely seemed worth it. Sealing the second joint he moved onto the third and the began thinking of his plan and whether it was going to work and he decided it had to because he had no choice now that Max was back. David was not going to be stifled under his control again. It was going to be a big ask to incorporate two more females into the fold, incorporating Star had been hard enough and was still not finalised all these years later and having more than one female could be a logistical nightmare. Also who was Paul going to bring in? If it was anyone like that thing on the beach, it wasn’t going to gel with David. He began thinking of Paul and wondered if he was OK and he tried to contact him but got no response, with Max’s blood pumping through his body though he wasn’t surprised. He again wondered what Max’s blood would do to his loyalty. Was Paul going to end up being an ultimate sacrifice? If Max had influenced him and his blood penetrated him enough, there was no way Paul was going to go against him, but David couldn’t think too much about that because Marko wasn’t coping with any of this right now and the thought of losing Paul could push him over the edge. The last thing David needed was for Marko to blame anymore of this on Star, which he already did, and unleash the seemingly uncontrollable monster inside of him on her. He needed all his boys now, including Paul, for his plan to work. He didn’t even bother trying to contact Star, Max would pick up on that for sure. 

The boys rumbled into the Cave to find David sitting in his chair next to the fire pit waiting for them. David could see in Marko’s face that he was still stressed.

‘Take a seat boys.’ David welcomed them and Dwayne plonked himself down on the couch while Marko sat on the ledge beside the fountain. David leaned forward and threw a joint in Marko’s direction. ‘Relax Marko. It’s going to be OK.’ Marko looked at him.

‘You said that about Michael.’ He spat before taking the joint in his mouth and lighting it. David shifted his eyes away and sat back in his chair. ‘What about Paul, David? What are you going to do about him?’

‘I don’t know yet Marko.’ David repeated curtly.

‘Yeah, you don’t know shit right now!’ Marko threw the comment at his leader and stormed off to the back of the cave. David took a deep drag on his smoke and blew the smoke out, along with a good amount of his anger, into the air.

‘I get it, he’s scared and angry but what does he expect me to do? He knows Max.’ David flicked his hand up as he spoke. ‘I was taken by surprise tonight too.’ He said looking over at Dwayne who sat quietly where he lay.

‘David, what’s going on?’ Dwayne finally said. ‘You mentioned Maria… and Kelly… What are you thinking?’ It was a question that David wasn’t really ready to answer just yet but if he was going to talk to anyone, it was going to be Dwayne.

‘Dwayne, we both know what Max is capable of…’ He trailed off. He didn’t want to scare Dwayne any either. ‘Look, I’m not going to be Max’s puppet again and the only way to avoid that is to father our own pack.’ David sucked in more smoke while Dwayne sat staring at his brother, disbelieving what he was hearing. ‘Times are changing and we need to have some pure bloods of our own. I need to get Paul and Star back and I want you to find and integrate Kelly into the group.’ David stopped and inhaled again, his head becoming nicely numb now. He let his words sink in before he continued. ‘Once Marko sees you successfully bring her in, he can focus on Maria and if Star sees one of the girls embrace our lifestyle, it will make her transition easier.’ Dwayne sat there taking it all in as he smoked his own joint. ‘But first I need to appease Max and keep him off my case.’

‘Creating our own pack is going to take time.’

‘Time is something that’s on our side.’ David replied, taking one last toke on his smoke.

‘What if it’s not? What are we going to do in the meantime?’ Dwayne was punching holes in David’s plan.

‘Then we’ll unleash ferals on him.’ David stood up. ‘I need to sleep.’ He said throwing his roach into the fire and walking to his own room. Dwayne lay there in the aftermath of David’s divulgence of his plan and he felt his brother was reaching, maybe a little too far, but he figured David had gotten to a point where he was going to do something. It seemed an extreme something to Dwayne and something that had a massive potential to fail but that was not an opinion that he could share with David right now. He was surprised David didn’t just want to kill Max himself but there must still be a tinge of fear inside David of what Max would do should he fail at killing him. Was he serious about ferals? Uncontrollable vampires? Dwayne didn’t like that idea too much and he hoped David was just stoned and just fucking with him. Dwayne finished his own smoke and he thought of Kelly. Well, David was right about one thing, Dwayne was definitely going to track Kelly down but as for inducting her into the group, Dwayne wasn’t so sure. David had retreated to his room of solitude and Marko had stormed off so Dwayne went to the old back cave to rest. All the boys would sleep alone tonight.


	60. Unbelievable - Star's POV

Max flew 45 minutes up the coast to a massive property surrounded by thick trees and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He shot them through a massive open balcony and into a large open plan lounge with beautiful marble floors and a huge open fire place. As soon as they arrived, two men came and took the still unconscious Paul into another room, with Max following, leaving Star in the palatial room alone. She stood there awkwardly and took in her new surroundings. The room was immaculate, like nothing she’d ever seen before. She never known Max in the past, so she didn’t know if this was how he’d always lived or if this was a new lifestyle he’d adopted but this house was stunning. He had a selection of period statues placed strategically around the room and there were perfect and incredibly expensive paintings adorning the walls. A spectacular cast iron candelabra stood on the opposite side to the fire place and Star was spellbound, she’d only seen this one room of a house that she thought must have at least 20 rooms. She wondered what the others were like.

‘You’re Star.’ She turned quickly to see a very attractive young man leaning against the door frame watching her. He seemed relaxed but his eyes were cold and she instantly knew he was a vampire. How did he know her name? She didn’t answer him but just met his gaze. ‘You come to stay? I’ll show you the ropes…’ He said stepping forward towards her.

‘Get out Mitch.’ Max walked past the man and shut the door on him, Max seemed angry and Star felt even more uneasy and unsure of what was going on. ‘Sit down.’ Star remained standing and watched him warily. ‘Sit.’ He demanded, his tone harsh and as she sat, fear entered her. ‘What do you want from David, Star?’ She was confused. What was he asking? ‘You try to have him killed and then you marry him? What are you doing?’ He cut straight to the chase and she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even really know what she was doing herself, and now she was having to explain it to a head vampire. An irate head vampire, who had a very justifiable reason not to trust her.

‘I… I love him.’ Max sat in his large black, high backed chair staring at her.

‘You love him?’

‘Yeah.’ She looked down, she felt like crying but didn’t. ‘I love him.’

‘Right.’ He said, disbelieving her weak declaration. ‘You’re lying. He has been trying to get you to turn for years and you have resisted, if you loved him, you would be one of us by now.’ His tolerance for her was thin and she sensed no matter what she said, it wasn’t going to change that. Her eyes remained on the floor and followed the lines of the pattern on the thick foreign rug beneath her. ‘But you’ve been feeding off him.’ She looked up at him, how did he know? ‘So what are you doing?’ He waited for an answer from her so she gave him one.

‘I thought David was dead, I thought you all were. I was living my life in Santa Monica and all of a sudden he showed up telling me he was back for pay back. He killed my friend and my boyfriend and bought me back to Santa Carla. We found Marko alive and living in the cave and then we found Paul and Dwayne and David found Laddie,’ he voice wobbled and she stopped, a tear welling up in her eye, ‘and we spent time together again and I realised how much I’d missed him and that I still loved him.’ She lied. ‘We ended up in Las Vegas and he asked me to marry him.’ She cut her version very short.

‘And yet you still haven’t killed?’ She shook her head and he stared daggers at her. ‘Well that was a lovely story with some glaring omissions Star but unlike David, I have no underlying feelings for you and just as I have given David a mission, I have one for you. Like I said, if you don’t kill before David returns to me, I will deal with you. I don’t endure incomplete vampires in my pack and you’re no different.’ As if on cue, the man who Max had shut out walked back in with another man.

‘Dagan, Mitch this is Star. She’s going to be staying with us for a while.’ Star stood up and looked from Max to the men and she felt very much on display the way they were looking at her. ‘Take her to the guest room and introduce her to the others.’ Max said heading towards the door. ‘Oh, and Star, should you try to run, I will send my new boys out to find you and I guarantee you, you will never run again.’ Max walked out leaving her with two of these new boys. Max had new boys. She’d met his old boys and she really didn’t want to meet his new boys. She really didn’t want to be here at all. It seemed her situation had quickly gone from bad to worse and she knew she needed to repress and hide her fear around a new pack. She wondered how long they’d been vampires and whether they had the control David and his boys had and suddenly she was worried about what they’d heard about her, they obviously knew something because the one named Mitch had addressed her by name. 

‘Follow me.’ Dagan held out his hand to her and she just looked at it blankly but didn’t take it.

‘Where’s Paul?’ She asked.

‘You can’t see him right now.’ They both stared at her. ‘David was Max’s second right?’ Dagan asked but she didn’t answer him. ‘Yeah, well now I’m Max’s second which makes me the leader around here and you better get used to that idea because I don’t think you’re going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Or at least, that’s what I hear…’ He smiled a devastatingly sexy smile at her and she involuntarily blushed. This guy was very different from David but just as captivating and dangerous as him.

Dagan walked ahead, while Mitch walked beside her, and he led them down a long wide hallway with large rooms either side of the passage. She tried to peer inside each one but was propelled to keep walking without stopping. They ascended a winding staircase with more original period paintings lining the walls and a massive sparkling crystal chandelier hanging in the centre, it appeared Max had embraced the style and décor of his era but she wondered where the money came from. She couldn’t imagine Max doing what David and the boys did but she didn’t know Max so really, she had no idea. She walked into another large lounge area where three other men were sitting and she stopped dead just inside the doorway as the other two walked into the room and the three turned to look at her. She instantly recognised one of them as one of the young men that had been on the Boardwalk when David was talking to Dwayne and Paul before they took off to the beach and she and David had gone to dinner. What was he doing here?

‘Gentlemen, this is Star.’ Dagan introduced and she stood there uncomfortably and reluctantly looked from one to the next and finally to the one who’d been at the Boardwalk who half smiled at her inciting feelings of vulnerability within her. Mitch sat on a stool near the others and they all blended in together. They looked like a boy band to her.

‘This is Zac, Morgan and Nate.’ Dagan walked around pointing each one of them out for her. ‘Take a seat.’ He said turning his back to her.

‘Do you want a drink?’ Mitch asked her. Shifting her eyes towards him, she shook her head and Mitch got up and disappeared out of the room. Nobody said anything and the only sound was the low beat of a song she knew but couldn’t place. She analysed at the boys warily, not knowing what they were going to do with her. Dagan had dark blonde hair, long on top but short back and sides with light green eyes. He exuded the leadership vibe like David did but she picked up on a twinge of feisty arrogance reminiscent of youth. He wore a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, a black jacket and dark blue jeans with pointy black shoes. He certainly looked the part and she imagined him to be quite an effective hunter. Morgan was small and wiry with impeccably groomed dark hair in a 50’s styled cut. He wore a light brown semi tailored jacket, quite long on his small frame with tight black chinos and similar boots to Dagan. He appeared to be very interested in what was going on in the room and had a large smile on his face showing straight white teeth with already naturally pointed incisors. She couldn’t imagine Morgan being a vampire, he looked too innocent. He reminded her of Laddie and she wondered how old he was. Zac was the boy she’d seen already and she wondered if he’d known who she was then. He had both the stubble and a pair of insane blue eyes to rival David’s, which was probably why he’d piqued her interest in the first place. He had short fairish hair and he looked fit and physically strong, like an athlete. He wore a white ribbed long sleeved top and baggy black pants with skater looking shoes. He had an air of disinterest about him but she suspected he may be like Dwayne who saw and heard everything and he flicked her a look which made her nervous. Mitch walked in carrying two glasses of dark liquid. Holding onto one and held the other out to her.

‘Here, it will help you relax.’ He said to her and he held his glass up while he waited for her to take it and they were all looking at her making her feel pressured to take it. ‘Star, we’re not going to do anything to you tonight. Max has forbidden it. Chill out.’ She looked into Mitch’s warm brown eyes and for the first time since arriving, she felt comforted. He was probably the best looking of them all, he was young, they all were, but he seemed to have a bit of a receding hairline already. He had a short messy beard but it didn’t take away from his attractiveness and he smiled the cheekiest grin with large perfect front teeth. He winked at her and she found it almost impossible not to return the smile and take the drink offered to her. He clinked his glass with hers and kept eye contact with her as they both took a sip then he walked her over to a large sofa chair and she sat down. Dagan was watching her like David would and she avoided his gaze while Zac was showing Morgan something on the iPad and Nate was drinking a beer. Nate was another dark haired man but his was thick and shaggy, down to his shoulders. It framed his face perfectly and his blue eyes sparkled. His eyes weren’t as magnetic as David’s or Zac’s but just looking at him, he would have been her type a few years ago. He was wearing a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark blue jeans and dark brown boots. He looked effortlessly gorgeous.

After another sip, she realised Mitch was right and she felt much more relaxed.

‘Why can’t I see Paul?’ She asked.

‘Don’t worry, he’s being looked after.’ Dagan answered her and she looked at him and took another sip wishing he would stop staring at her.

‘How long have you guys been with Max?’ 

‘A while.’ Dagan answered her again while Mitch smirked.

‘How do you know who I am?’ She asked but as she spoke she felt like she sounded far away and they all looked up at her. 

‘We know all about you Star. And what you did.’ Dagan said coldly. What she did? What did she do again? She couldn’t remember. Why couldn’t she remember? She felt dizzy and like she was losing control of her body. She dropped her glass and she vaguely heard it smash on the floor. Had they drugged her? Before she could even give herself the obvious answer, she had passed out on the back of the chair.


	61. A New Reality - David's POV

_Walking down a cobblestoned pathway, market stalls lined the streets and they made David feel like he was in the early 1920’s. A large thatched cart was on the right side of the road and a lady beckoned to him to sit at her table decorated with a colourful cloth and a crystal ball. She was a fortune teller. David looked sceptically at the lady and she called out his name in a voice he knew, a voice he hadn’t heard in years. David looked around and saw no one he knew, only strangers walking past him. He sat at the table and she took his hand and closed her eyes then she opened them suddenly and pulled her hand away from his and started to breathe quicker._

_‘You. You are dead. You have no future. You are dead.’ She shook her head and got up beginning to pack away all of her belongings._

_‘I’m not dead.’ He said to her and she stopped and stared behind him and raised her arm pointing at something behind him. David turned his head to see Max standing in the middle of the path all alone, all the other people were now gone and it was just David and Max._

_‘Things have changed David.’ Max said smiling at him._

_David stood there and stared at his maker saying nothing. Max was gradually surrounded by a group of young men who David knew were like him. He stood there strong not fazed about the guys until one of them appeared with his arm around Star and she looked comfortable with the situation. David’s face changed as he took the sight in and then Paul appeared and stood right next to Max._

_‘David, come back to me.’ Max said to him._

David woke up and lay there for a while contemplating the dream and why he’d had it, he needed to talk to Star and his heart actually hurt with her being with Max. Although Max's appearance had over shadowed what Star had done, it hadn't erased it and David was still smarting from it. He knew he needed to act fast though as Max had decided to take matters in his own hands and he knew that when Max wanted something, he usually got it. Which led him to begin thinking about what he’d said to Dwayne, he’d been half joking at the time and he could see Dwayne’s slightly disturbed reaction to his words but, upon reflection, David was actually warming to the idea that ferals could be quite efficient in assisting him with his goal to eradicate Max. Max hadn’t even been thought of and David was annoyed that he didn’t recognise the effect his sire was indirectly having on his behaviour. Max was angry with him, David now knew that and he knew he’d pushed his limits with him in the past but now Max was downright pissed. It was David that had physically done that to Star but it was Max who had influenced the act. Yes, David had been angry with her, furious in fact, but he never would have done that. Not that, he would have killed her before he’d done that to her. Max’s view was that Star performed a specific purpose and once her job had been done, there was no use for her in the pack any longer. Max didn’t agree that females should be in the pack, not at David’s level anyways. That was a luxury afforded to the head vampire only because he knew that females interrupted the cohesiveness of the pack and could split the brotherhood with jealousy and in fighting. Not that the boys couldn’t have their way with women, but they were to use them and get rid of them, that was the rule. David had ignored that rule and had done for years, keeping Star regardless of what Max had said about it, and it had always been a bone of contention between them. David despised the thought of doing as Max demanded now and he was finding his influence was making his desire to tear his prey apart with despicable viciousness overwhelming and he had no idea how he was going to control it. He remembered feeling like this for a while shortly after he’d been turned but Max had managed to calm him, making him quickly succumb to his way of doing things. He almost possessed him in a sense where he could make David’s behaviour as subdued as Max’s was and the fact he felt like this now told David Max was no longer calm and subdued. David wondered what had happened to Max after the Emerson incident to make the change in his demeanour so drastically and, with him being in such a frame of mind, it did not bode well for David, or least of all Star. David and Dwayne were the only ones with Max’s blood coursing through their veins as David had been the one to change Paul and Marko and Marko had been the only one who David had had to control harder than the others. Paul had embraced the change and Dwayne’s change had been almost a spiritual one but they had both been relatively easy. Marko had struggled with the transition but he hadn’t fought it like Star did. David tried contacting Paul again and again got nothing. Frustrated, David got up and walked to the main area to find Dwayne lying on one couch and Marko sitting on the other.

‘I don’t want history repeating David.’ Marko said to his brother as David sat in his chair and lit a cigarette.

‘It’s not going to. Just trust me and we’re going to be better than OK.’ David’s mood was calm, calmer than Dwayne and Marko were expecting it to be. ‘I’ve tried to contact Paul, have either of you heard from him?’

‘No.’ Marko answered and David looked over to Dwayne and he shook his head.

‘Marko, I’d like you to go see Maria. It’s time you and her solidified your budding relationship.’ Marko lit up at this, but he was a bit unsure where David was going with this. ‘I don’t wanna kill her Dave.’

‘You don’t have to kill her Marko.’ David assured him.

‘OK.’ Marko jumped up, not questioning his leader.

‘Dwayne and I will go feed then I’m going to contact Star and find out where they are. We need more information before we plan our attack.’ David was being more methodical in his thinking which made Dwayne relax and feel more confident about the whole feral thing being merely a reactionary comment.

‘We’re going to go get Paul, right?’ Dwayne asked him.

‘Eventually.’ David said thoughtfully. ‘But unless I oblige Max, he is not going to welcome us in with open arms any time soon.’ He inhaled his cigarette. ‘And that’s the last thing I intend on doing.’ He added blowing the smoke out. ‘He’s blocked himself to me but I am unable to do the same and neither will you be so we need to be careful of open thoughts. For the meantime we need to recruit, boys.’ David began to put his boots on and Marko looked over at Dwayne, uncertain of what David was talking about and Dwayne returned his look with one of almost equal nervousness.

‘Recruitment?’ Marko asked David.

‘That’s right. We need some fresh blood in our pack and I’d like you to start with Maria.’ He smiled at Marko as he watched Marko’s head tick over and it didn’t take long for it to sink in. Marko was stoked. David had always said no other girls could stay with them except Star and now he was welcoming her in. Dwayne looked from David to Marko and he knew Marko had been sold on the initial idea but Dwayne was very cautious about how far David was going to go with this.

‘Let’s go boys. I don’t want Paul or Star being there any longer than necessary so we gotta move.’ David said ushering them out of the Cave. Marko mounted his bike and David told him to go and do what he had to do and that they would catch up with him later then David turned to Dwayne.

‘Do you trust me?’ He asked him, tracking him with his stare. Dwayne stood there, not really knowing what his brother was asking him but feeling compelled to answer in the affirmative. ‘Then go along with whatever I do tonight. It’s the only way we’re going to get Paul back.’


	62. A New Reality - Star's POV

_Star was sitting on a swing in a playground in a park dotted with large trees. It was dark and quiet except for the low buzzing of a street light nearby and she felt relaxed as she brushed the sand around beneath her shoes._

_‘You waited for me.’ She heard a voice behind her and she smiled, turning her head to greet him. She saw the blue glint in his eyes, even as the rest of his face was in the shadows, as he approached and she actually felt like embracing David but as the figure got closer she saw it wasn’t David. It was Zac._

_‘Zac?’ She looked around disturbed, not wanting to be caught meeting here with him. ‘What are you doing here?’_

_‘You know it was me you were waiting for.’ He smiled walking towards her. ‘Who did you think it was? David’s gone remember?’ He walked up to her and kissed her on the top of the head and she tried to remember where David had gone. ‘You knew there was something between us the first time you saw me.’ She stood up, panic gripping her chest._

_‘No, I shouldn’t be here with you. Where’s Dwayne?’_

_‘Dwayne, Marko… They’re gone too.’_

_She looked up on the top of the wooden climbing structure near the swings and Paul was sitting up there watching her._

_‘Star, you and I are they only ones left.’ She shook her head at him and began to back away from the two men in front of her._

_‘Star.’ Zac said her name in a smooth velvet tone which was reminiscent of David and she turned to walk away but Mitch came from behind a tree in front of her and stood there with his hands behind his back smiling at her. She changed direction and took a few steps to her right and Dagan was leaning against a park bench watching her. Flicking her head left Morgan and Nate were standing closer than she was expecting and she spun back around to face Zac and Paul._

_‘Paul?’ She cried out his name._

_‘It’s done Star.’ He said still sitting calmly as the others began to close in on her._

Star awoke feeling groggy and in a dark and relatively warm room. She went to lift her head but the room swung sickeningly around her so she quickly only laid her head back down and closed her eyes again. She felt like she’d lay there for another 5 minutes but when she reopened her eyes again, the room was lit up with the glow of the full moon blazing through the floor to ceiling windows, which had intricate iron surrounds around the edges. Her head felt clearer but she still felt tired, and incredibly stupid as she bought her hand to her head. She knew better than to drink anything anyone gave to her and she couldn’t believe she’d done in twice in the past week. What was wrong with her? She felt the ring on her finger and wondered what she’d done this time, she felt angry with herself and wanted to leave.

‘Good Morning Princess.’ She flicked her head toward the direction of the voice and saw Dagan and Zac perched on either arm of a couch which was along the adjacent wall. Dagan was smiling at her and Zac’s expression was flat but his eyes sparkled with interest. She felt flushed with vulnerability again with these men staring at her while she was in bed wearing a long white dress. Why was she wearing a long white dress? She didn’t remember getting changed, so when did she put this on? Her cheeks went red and she sat up and pulled the covers up. Nate walked in and stood behind the couch in between the two boys.

‘Where’s Max? I want to talk to Max.’ She said annoyed, trying to regain her composure and confidence.

‘He’s not here right now.’ Dagan informed her. ‘Just Zac, Nate and I, I’m afraid.’ She stared at him hard. ‘What can we do for you?’

‘You can leave, I want to get changed.’ She began looking around for her clothes.

‘Oh, as much as we admired the dress you came in, Max didn’t and insisted you dress more appropriately.’ Max was as bad as David and she really wasn’t in the mood to be judged on her attire.

‘We could have left you naked…’ Zac smiled embarrassing her. Oh God, they had changed her, the strange young man from the Boardwalk had seen her naked. She hated this and needed to leave.

‘Where’s Paul, I want to see him. Now.’ She demanded, changing the subject.

‘He’s… still sick.’ Dagan told her, avoiding really answering the question. ‘You thirsty? Can we get you something to drink?’ He asked, a sly grin crawling across his face and she saw Zac chuckling under his breath.

‘I’ll pass.’ She retorted with more attitude in her voice. She was becoming more and more annoyed as the minutes passed. ‘So I can’t see Paul or Max. What am I supposed to do?’

‘Relax.’ Zac answered her. Relax? Was he joking? She wanted to scream.

‘Why did you drug me?’ It seemed as if, as the question was asked, the mood in the room changed.

‘I’m not having you trying to kill any of my boys like you did the others.’ They all glared at her and waited for her reaction.

‘I didn’t try to kill anyone.’ She said. ‘Is that what you’ve been told?’ Dagan held her eye contact while Zac looked down and Nate looked over at Dagan. ‘What exactly has Max told you about me?’ She pushed the covers down feeling flushed at what she was being accused of.

‘We’ve heard enough.’ Dagan answered her without blinking.

‘No seriously, I want to know.’ She pressed.

‘Why? Afraid he hasn’t painted a pretty picture of you?’

‘Max has only met me twice, he doesn’t know me. He couldn’t paint any picture of me.’ She said honestly.

‘Oh, Max knows Missy.’ Nate countered her. ‘He knows more than you think he does.’

‘Yeah, well, Max doesn’t know everything.’ She curled her lip into a semi smile.

‘We know what you did with Michael and we know that David hasn’t managed to get you to turn.’ Nate threw the comment at her. They knew about Michael, she wondered how much they knew about David.

‘I’m not turning.’ She said flatly and in doing so garnered stares of disbelief. She sat there in a flowing white dress, looking almost angelic, but she was no angel and they couldn’t believe that a simple girl was defying the orders of their vampire leader. If she didn’t bow down to David or Max, there was no way she was going to as these boys said.

‘You don’t have a choice.’ Nate said, in a tone of shock at her audacity, and she looked back at them all as if they didn’t matter and were inconsequential to her.

‘You don’t know much about David do you?’ She asked Dagan, narrowing her eyes.

‘I know he runs with his own set of rules and he’s on thin ice.’ She involuntarily smiled.

‘He’s the blonde one in the trench, right?’ Zac asked her and she slid her eyes to him nodding.

‘That was you on the Boardwalk huh? Did you know who I was last night?’ Zac looked up at Dagan and quickly back at her.

‘When?’ Dagan asked him surprised. It was then she knew Dagan didn’t know Zac and Star had seen each other before and she looked into Zac’s eyes then, as he looked back at her, she saw a flicker of something deceptive, like he was keeping a secret.

‘You still in bed? You can’t sleep the night away’ Mitch bounced in the room disrupting the flow of the conversation much to Zac’s relief. She looked at Mitch sideways as he was the one who’d given her the Rohypnol. ‘Come on. Get up.’ He touched her arm and sat on the end of her bed.

‘I’m not going anywhere with you.’

‘Oh no Mitch, I don’t think she likes you anymore.’ Nate teased him.

‘And I think she liked you the most.’ Dagan added, now teasing her. They were toying with her, like cats that had an injured mouse and were batting it between them. Well, she was no mouse, she was a tiger and she had no intention of being their shiny new toy. They had no idea who they were dealing with. She wondered how long the leashes were that Max kept these boys on she suspected they would be shorter than the ones David and his boys had been on which had obviously been an issue for Max in the past. Lucy wouldn’t have fixed that as much as Max wanted her to and Star knew it.

‘I don’t like any of you. I don’t belong here and I’m not doing anything with you guys regardless of what Max has said to you. I’m outta here. I’m not doing this.’ She flicked the covers off her and stood up.

‘Well, aren’t you feistier than what I was led to believe.’ Max came around from the hallway and he stood in the doorway. ‘No wonder David can’t let you go.’ She stopped and looked at him. ‘David always said you were weak and easily manipulated but I knew you had fire in you when you came at me in old man Emerson’s house. It looks like that fire has grown.’ He was patronizing her as he walked into the room. ‘But I’m not David and I won’t put up with your shit.’

‘Where’s Paul, Max?’ She was fed up.

‘You’ll see Paul soon enough. And watch your tone with me young lady, you are in my house and in no position to give me any attitude.’ She saw a glint of red and gold in his eyes and she suddenly felt nervous and that she needed to pull back. ‘You’ll be here as long as I say you’ll be here. It’s all up to your husband and what he’s willing to do to rectify things as to when or if you will leave. He’s gone way off track Star, and if he can’t get back on track and get things back in order, then you all come back to me.’ She didn’t like where this was heading. ‘I am David’s sire and he seems to have forgotten that.’ Star was rapidly getting the point that this was all about David and not about her. David blamed Star for everything that had happened but Max seemed to blame David. ‘You’re under his skin and he can’t seem to get you under control, but I will.’ His teeth grew as he spoke and the way he spoke to her reminded her of the way David spoke to her when he was being controlling with her. ‘You will go out with Dagan and my boys tonight and you will turn. Who knows Star, you might like it here and not want to go back.’ He smirked knowingly at her. She didn’t want to stay here or go back to David. She wanted to go back to her life in Santa Monica but she couldn’t go back there either. Maybe she’d go to sunny Florida, she’d go live a very anonymous life in Orlando or Miami and never see any of these creatures again. As soon as she had the thought though, she regretted it.

‘Oh, you don’t want to be with David? You want a life of your own do you? I knew you were lying.’ He mocked her and she hated that he’d picked up on that. ‘Well, wake up girl, once you know about us, you’re either one of us or you are food for us. You better make up your mind pretty quick.’ She stood there dumbfounded, not wanting to accept what he was telling her.

‘Dagan, take her out to kill with the boys. Start with an appetizer downstairs.’ Max smiled at him and walked out. Star felt like she’d just been told off by the Head Master and was being sent to detention.

‘Come downstairs.’ Dagan told her, doing as he was told, and they all began to leave the room. Star felt like crying, she was so angry and upset at her seemingly impossible situation and had no idea of how she was going to free herself of this Hell. She thought of David again and began to think she was actually better off with him, at least with him she had his love and protection and he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, unless he did it. Then she suddenly remembered what he’d done to her and she realised either way, her current circumstances were fucked. She felt a crushing depression close in on her as Mitch put his arm around her shoulders and guided her to go with them. 

She walked into a large kitchen with stainless steel appliances everywhere, which was surprisingly modern considering the other rooms she’d been in. Morgan was handing out large goblet like cups to them all and they all lifted them waiting for her to join them.

‘I’m not drinking that. You’ve got to be kidding.’ She pushed the cup away from her and when she looked up, they had all turned and she knew there was no more playing.

‘You heard Max. Drink it.’ She hesitated. ‘Drink it.’ Dagan suddenly roared at her and she jumped and lifted the cup, the smell of the blood inside hit her instantly and she found the scent insanely enticing. It was intoxicating her and she hadn’t even drank it yet, so much so in fact, now she didn’t know how she was going to turn it down.

‘Salud’ Zac said and they all tipped their glasses and drank. It was very much like drinking David’s blood but stronger and smoother, it was like a hit of the purest heroin for her and she was hooked. She looked up at the boys and they were all smiling at her but she wasn’t sure why.

‘What?’ She asked.

‘We haven’t seen a female vampire before.’ Mitch told her. ‘You look stunning.’ She didn’t even know she’d turned and with their approval, she suddenly felt confident and strongly in her element. She saw her shoes near the door and her jacket on a hook and went and put them on.

‘Right, we’re out of here.’ Dagan announced, holding out his hand again to her. Only this time she took it and she left with them.


	63. It's Done - David's POV

Dwayne had discovered Kelly had moved south to be with her cousin in LA and he knew it was going to take a bit to track her down but while David was encouraging the idea, he was going to jump on it. He thought she had the potential to be for him what Star was for David, as she had been the only one he’d grown any kind of lasting desire for and he was definitely interested in investigating it further.

‘Let’s go to LA then.’ David slapped him on the back. ‘I’m sure Marko will enjoy the next couple of nights with Maria.’ Dwayne smiled at his brother, it wasn’t often David was forthcoming and generous and Dwayne took his opportunity. They headed down towards LA and they went to a dark grungy bar on Sunset with a loud live band playing and they ordered a couple of drinks, it felt odd for Dwayne not to be with Paul but David, being David, didn’t seem to care. Dwayne still saw the distraction and slight annoyance on his face but he couldn’t decipher if it was because of Star or Max, probably both. They were given their whiskeys and they settled in and scoped the room. ‘I need a feed.’ David said looking at the strange collection of maniacs around them. Dwayne sipped his drink and said nothing. ‘How you gonna find her?’

‘Her cousin worked as a tattoo artist on Hollywood Boulevard. I’ll try to find her first.’ Dwayne answered him.

‘Know her name?’ David asked, wanting to know but with a level of sustained disinterest.

‘Fleur. I met her once. I’ll find her.’ Dwayne was confident.

‘Good.’ David watched some young, fairly wild looking guys head outside for a smoke and he downed his drink. ‘But we got a job to do first.’ He stood up and followed out after them. ‘I got the joint, got a light?’ David said deliberately loud enough for the group of four to hear.

‘You guys smoking? Join us. The more smoke the better!’ One of the young guys called out and David smiled and walked towards them.

‘I’m David, this is Dwayne.’ The young boys rattled off some names but David didn’t pay any attention. The joints got passed around and they spoke mindless chatter, except Dwayne who remained silent and waited to see what David was going to do next and he didn’t have to wait long. David pulled out a flask and took a sip and asked if they wanted some. One grabbed it and drank it without thinking while another asked what was in it.

‘Wine with a little something else.’ David smiled. ‘You’ll like it.’ The flask was passed around and everyone, including Dwayne, had some and Dwayne was astounded when the understanding of what David was doing hit but it was now too late and he had to go along with his leaders plan. Dwayne had never witnessed a feral vampire and although his internal processes did not allow for such uncontrollability he was interested in seeing the potential such a creature had within them. David led them all back inside and David ordered two more drinks while the four others dispersed around the room. David took a sip and smirked at Dwayne, the butterflies raging in his stomach. ‘Are you ready?’ Dwayne looked at him and curled his lip into a half smile as David grabbed the closest person to him and tore into her chest and throat ensuring her jugular was spraying blood all over the place and suddenly the energy of the place changed. It went from a place of hyped excitement to one of terror and panic and David and Dwayne sat back and watched the four men react to the smell and sight of the blood and begin to turn. People were falling all over each other trying to get to the door but the four were all over them ripping and tearing at their flesh leaving bodies scattered everywhere. One girl got close to the door but Dwayne was on her before her hand touched the handle and she was thrown across the room towards the stage but before she landed, one of the boys leapt and caught her like a cheetah with an antelope, latching on to her and pulling her arms off. Dwayne stayed near the door while David calmly sat at the bar and sipped his whiskey and they watched the utter anarchy go on around them. David was delighted with the ease in which everything had transpired, the absolute chaos around him filled him with almost as much satisfaction as causing the destruction himself and the feeling was almost the same as when he had decimated Laddie in his little room. There were bodies and limbs strewn all over the bar and there was only one person left alive in the place being the bartender who had a bat in his hands but was too scared to move. Dwayne jumped the bar, took the bat out of his hands and smashed the camera above the bar before grabbing the man and slamming his head into his bottle rack splitting his face open. The four guys hooted and hollered at the sight of Dwayne, the quiet unassuming dude, doing what they had just done and David instantly knew he had they boys he needed to pay Max a visit. David had no reciprocity with the boys, he didn’t care about them, but they were already reckless and very much like Paul was when he turned only David would not foster them and guide them which would make them careless and extremely volitile. He needed them to be feral and he was going to starve them for a while before they met their unknown adversary and they helped him get his property back. David knew Max was strong but he also knew Max didn’t cope well with uncontrollable young vampires and he was going to exploit that to the maximum. He was going to get Paul and Star back and get rid of Max no matter what. David told Dwayne to stay in LA and to find Kelly and he took the new boys back to the Cave in Santa Carla.

‘This place is amazing.’ One of them said as they stumbled in to the Cave.

‘Yeah, don’t get used to it.’ David said bluntly and walked in the back to his room to get a stash of pot. He wanted these guys to mellow out a bit cause they were all hammered but hyped and David didn’t have the patience to deal with them at the moment. They were there for a purpose and that was it, the last thing David wanted was to add teenage members to his pack but time being factor in this situation, he had chosen who he had chosen and the sooner he got Paul and Star away from Max, the better. David felt threatened and he did not deal well with being threatened, especially by someone who he knew was his superior and Max sure as fuck was not going to take one of his boys away, and least of all take his wife away, without some kind of retribution.

‘Woah, what’s this? Is there a girl here?’ One of them was poking around Star’s area.

‘Get out of there!’ David roared at him coming out from the back. ‘None of you go in there!’ The boys stood back and looked at David warily. ‘That’s my wife’s room. You’ll meet her soon.’

‘So there is a chick? Just one?’ One of them asked.

‘Yeah. For now.’ David answered sitting in his chair and rolling up.

‘So, what are we?’ One of the boys who was sitting on the couch asked. He had almost a worried look on his face.

‘What do you think you are?’ David asked him.

‘We’re vampires, right?’ Another one asked sitting on the couch too.

‘Very good.’

‘Yeah! Awesome!’ One of them who had found Dwayne’s skateboard and was standing on it called out. ‘I always wanted to be a vampire!’ David suspected he wasn’t too bright.

‘What the fuck? Vampire’s aren’t real.’ One of them who remained standing shook his head.

‘Well how do you explain what just happened?’ One of the boys on the couch asked and David lit a couple of joints and passed one on while he held onto one.

‘What was in the flask dude?’ The disbeliever asked. ‘Is this like some massive group hallucination? Was it some crazy acid or something?’

‘Nah, I know acid, that wasn’t acid. It was like a warm wine or a thick sweet port or something.’ The skateboarder said, falling off the board.

‘He could have put anything in there. We don’t know this guy.’ One of the guys on the couch said while the other cautiously looked at David. It seemed the reality was hitting these guys and David sat in his chair mildly amused with them trying to work out what was going on.

‘Come on, I want you guys to meet one of my other boys, we’re going to the Boardwalk.’ He took them down to the beach and they were making their way up to the Boardwalk and he could see that the sights and sounds of being a vampire were beginning to blow their minds apart, they were going to be scattered once their senses were invaded by the activity and atmosphere of the Boardwalk and he hoped the pot was going to be enough to contain them. David had never changed so many at once, it had always been just one at a time and he had the others to help him maintain control and now he was alone with four new vampires. He needed to find Marko.

They began to pass the bonfires dotted out on the sand and suddenly Star’s voice split his consciousness screaming his name like he’d never heard before.


	64. It's Done - Star's POV

They led her out into the garage area where a selection of beautiful cars were parked. Dagan led Star to a silver Mercedes CLA 250, and Mitch and Zac followed, while the other two climbed into a red Porsche Cayman. Dagan drove while Mitch sat in the passenger seat and Zac and Star sat in the back. She even surprised herself with the ease in which she got in and the relative calm she felt being there. The Porsche left first while Dagan warmed up the coupe.

‘Do you like to dance?’ Mitch called back over his shoulder.

‘Yeah,’ she said unsure, ‘I like to dance. Why?’

‘Good.’ Dagan said and the two in the front smiled at each other while Zac looked out his window smiling then Dagan slid the car into first and left the compound. Mitch put some music on and Zac cracked his window open slightly as they headed north towards San Francisco. She felt warm and alive with Max’s blood in her, the taste lingered and she found her thoughts were preoccupied by the effect of it. She watched the trees and eventually the ocean fly by outside and she was mesmerised by the clarity she was seeing it all in. Each leaf, every wave and every sparkle of the moon reflecting on the water, everything was crystal clear. She could hear every sound outside, even through the rushing wind moving past the car.

‘Hello…?’ Mitch sounded like he was repeating himself and she looked back inside the car and found Zac and Mitch both looking at her.

‘Sorry, what?’

‘Have you not had Max’s blood before?’ Mitch asked.

‘Ahhh… No. Why?’

‘How are you like us then?’ Dagan asked with genuine interest.

‘David. It was David’s blood.’ She spoke to the pairs of eyes staring at her.

‘But that’s forbidden.’ Dagan replied shocked. ‘Max has forbidden it. Only he is to change anyone.’

‘Oh. Well, someone should have told David.’ She said rather non chalantly.

‘So… David changed you. What else has David done?’ Dagan asked her.

‘What do you mean?’ She asked quickly, nervous of exactly what he was asking. They couldn’t know what he’d done to her, could they?

‘Tell me more about David.’ He said driving a little faster.

‘Where are we going?’ She asked trying to change the subject.

‘David, Star. What else has David done?’ Dagan repeated and Mitch turned in his seat to look at her. She looked sideways at Zac and his eyes were penetrating her again.

‘I don’t know. He doesn’t tell me anything.’ She answered, wanting them to stop.

‘He doesn’t tell his wife anything?’ Zac asked her.

‘We haven’t been married long.’ She said.

‘How long is not long?’ He sounded like he really wanted to know and she looked at him and met his crystal blue eyes. There was something about this kid.

‘A few days.’ She said continuing to look at him.

‘How long have you been a half?’ Dagan interjected.

‘How long have you been turned?’ She shot back getting sick of the questions.

‘Two years. The other boys between a year and eighteen months except Zac who was there before me.’ His answer shocked her a little. Two years? Did David know about them? He looked just as surprised as anyone else when Max had appeared on the beach.

‘Where did you meet Max?’ She asked.

'You answer my question and I will answer yours.’ Dagan reasoned with her.

‘I have been a half twice. This time just a few weeks.’ She said rather shyly.

‘And last time?’ He pushed.

‘A year.’

‘A year?’

‘Yeah, a year. Where did you meet Max?’ She repeated her question.

‘In New Mexico.’ New Mexico?

‘And you?’ She asked Mitch.

‘New Mexico. We were friends.’ He said and she looked at Zac.

‘Santa Monica.’ Santa Monica? Had she known him? She stared at him, searching her brain for any memory of him but she couldn’t find one.

‘Where did you meet David?’ Zac asked her.

‘Why?’ She asked suspiciously.

‘Where’d you meet him?’ Dagan repeated Zac’s question, Dagan seemed overly interested in David.

‘At a concert.’ She said simply.

‘When?’

‘The 80’s.’ She smiled.

‘Was he alone?’ It was a strange question.

‘At first, yes. Then I met the others. She said remembering her friend Tee going missing. She hadn’t thought of Tee in years and suddenly she didn’t want to talk about this anymore..’

‘And he just picked you up at a concert?’ And Max was OK with that?’ He asked.

‘I don’t know. Max wasn’t there.’ His questions were making her nervous.

‘Did he turn you that night?’ Dagan asked.

‘No.’

‘He began dating you?’ He was almost incredulous.

‘Yeah.’ She smiled and looked out the window, remembering what he was like in the beginning. 

‘There are rules about that.’ He said, bordering on being pissed off.

‘David does things his own way.’ She said a little absentmindedly and she smiled at what David would make of these boys.

‘So I see.’ Dagan said getting off the freeway and heading into downtown San Francisco. ‘We’ll we’re going to do something he hasn’t been able to.’ Star knew what he was alluding to but for some reason his comment didn’t bother her. She felt older and stronger than these boys and was certain they weren’t going to make her do anything she didn’t want to do. They pulled up outside a busy pumping nightclub and they all walked toward the entrance. There were people buzzing around everywhere and she suddenly couldn’t remember what day it was, not that it was important but she felt disorientated not knowing.

‘It’s Friday.’ Zac came up behind her and she stood there astounded, he’d answered her unasked query. David and his boys were the only ones who could communicate with her like that and who knew what she was thinking. What was with this guy? 

As they approached the door, the boys hesitated but she walked straight up to the front of the line and she compelled the bouncer to wave her in without any questions. The boys were impressed and they hurried to follow her in. It was very much the type of place she would have enjoyed had she been with the right company or even alone. Mitch caught up to her and led her over to the bar and she couldn’t help but think this all felt too familiar for her yet she was somehow OK with it.

‘What do you want to drink?’ He asked her.

‘Nothing from you.’ She said looking him up and down, there was no way she was making that mistake again. She turned to look around the room and, despite how different these boys were from hers, they seemed to demand the same attention and this intrigued her. Was it a vampire thing?

‘Would you like to dance?’ A sexy young man with nice arms and good hair asked her and out of habit, she went to decline but quickly stopped herself. Why shouldn’t she? That’s what they had come here for and there was no David to control her so she smiled and said yes. She took the man’s hand and followed him out onto the dancefloor and, knowing David and his boys weren’t here, she felt relaxed and free to do as she pleased. She had no connection with any of these other guys and Max wouldn’t be seen dead here so she felt she could enjoy the sensation of his blood and have some fun. Besides, dancing with someone wasn’t going to cause any harm. There were heaps of people in the club and she blended in with the moving crowd easily and slipped into her own little world even easier. She had no idea how long she’d been dancing with him but she suddenly became aware of a voice in her head, one she didn’t instantly recognise, telling her to do it without being told what ‘it’ was. But it wasn’t just a voice it was an overbearing feeling compelling her to do it and suddenly she had the need to get really close to the man in front of her and she began to nuzzle his neck and rub her hands all over him. Her heart beat harder and she could smell the blood pulsating through his veins and she began to breathe heavier and feel a bit intoxicated despite having had nothing to drink. She couldn’t tell if it was the smell of the man’s blood or if it was the influence of Max’s blood but it was so strong, she was finding it impossible to resist. She began kissing his neck and she felt her teeth elongate in her mouth. Her mind was conscious of what was happening but she couldn’t seem to stop herself, she sank her teeth into his neck and he began to pull away but she grabbed him tighter and wouldn’t let him go. He began to panic and tried to fight her but she held fast to him and to her surprise, she found she was loving every part of what she was doing. His struggle, his panic, his terror, she was revelling in all of it and wanted more of it. She wanted to make him hurt, she wanted to tear at his neck and be drenched in his blood.

‘Kill him.’ The hypnotic voice in her head said and she couldn’t deny it and blindly accepted it. She walked him through the crowd and off the dancefloor, while still attached to him, and guided him down to the back corner of the club. The sound of his heartbeat took over the deep bass from the speakers and this time, instead of hating it, she loved it and her heart began to beat in time with his, making her want to be the one to make it stop only via a very different avenue than last time. It was very much about having control and power over the beating heart and being the one to let it live or die. She felt the body beneath her begin to go limp and it gave her butterflies and a surge of adrenalin and she continued to suck the life out of him. ‘Finish it.’ The voice commanded and she felt the compelling get stronger and she couldn’t stop. Suddenly she felt an incredible strength inside her and once the body slumped she felt like she could have tossed him across the room with one hand. She eased him down into a booth where he slid underneath the table top and she stood back and looked around to see all five of the boys, surrounded by a collection of girls, watching her from their leaner near the bar. She wiped her mouth and, when she saw the red all over her hand, a sobering realisation hit her like an avalanche. She saw the looks and smiles on their faces and her heart sank and her hands began to shake and she turned away from them and bolted towards the door. Only one person came into her head and she mentally screamed for him to come for her.


	65. Who's In Control - David's POV

‘Star! Where are you?!’ David called out her.

‘David!’ She cried again.

‘Star, answer me. Where are you?’ He repeated.

‘I’m in San Francisco, I’m heading down the coast. Please come and get me.’ San Francisco. So that’s where Max had been hiding out. He wanted to go to her but he wasn’t ready to confront Max yet, there was one more piece to his plan that he hadn’t acquired yet and the piece was quite a vital one.

‘What the fuck?’ Both Dwayne and Marko projected into David’s head simultaneously. The power behind her communication had been strong enough for her to penetrate the other boy’s psyches too which instantly alerted David to the fact that something had changed, Star had changed, and their time was running out, if it hadn’t already.

‘Star? Star!’ David tried to contact her again but found a block on her thoughts and the only one who had the power to do that was Max. Fuck. ‘Boys, we’re going to have to put your libidos aside, we need to find that Emerson bitch. If Max is going to fuck with my girl, I’m going to fuck with the only woman I’ve ever known him to love.’ David’s head was reeling knowing Star was in such a predicament and if Max had done that to her, what was he doing with Paul? ‘Dwayne, get back up to Santa Carla. Marko, meet me and at the platform on the Boardwalk in ten.’ David’s strides became more urgent as he led the plebs up the beach and when he reached the platform Marko was there waiting.

‘Who are they?’ Marko asked.

‘Guys, this is Marko.’ Marko looked at the odd group of guys David had with him.

‘I’m Alex.’ They began to introduce themselves because David showed no sign of doing it.

‘I’m Hayden’

‘Dean’

‘I’m Charlie.’ Marko stared blankly at them and looked back to David.

‘Who the fuck?’ David smiled at Marko’s reaction.

‘They’re going to help us get Paul and Star back.’

‘Are you like us too?’ A very wide eyed Hayden asked Marko and it was then Marko paid a little more attention to the state of the boys and picked up that they were turned.

‘You’ve turned them? ALL of them?!’ Marko was shocked.

‘Well, I’m not confronting Max with mortals.’ David told him as they walked up the stairs.

‘Have they killed already?’ David’s smile widened and he placed his arm around Marko’s shoulder.

‘We don’t have time Marko. We need to get to that Internet Café and track that bitch.’ They headed towards the old comic book store which had been gone for a while and replaced with an internet café and as soon as they got there Dean sat down and had found Lucy within a few minutes, which made David begin to think these guys could be of use after all. She’d moved back to Phoenix and was working in a small office for a not for profit organisation and David figured the best way to get her would be at her residence.

‘Got an address for her?’ David asked Dean.

‘Ahhh…’ Dean tapped the keyboard a few more times. ‘Yep N 2nd Place off E Glendale Ave.’

‘Too easy.’ Charlie said.

‘Is this your girl?’ Alex asked David.

‘No. This is leverage to get my girl back.’ David said then he projected to Dwayne to change direction and head to Phoenix.

‘I hate Phoenix.’ Dwayne growled back.

‘Don’t worry, we won’t be there long.’ David assured him. It was already midnight and David knew it was going to be at least another 24 before he would be in San Francisco and who knows what Max would have done by then. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave Star hanging but he had no choice.

They headed east to Arizona and met Dwayne at a small bar that was close to closing.

‘Piece of shit town.’ Dwayne said when they arrived. ‘Let’s get her and get the Hell out of here.’ Dwayne naturally had a strong sense of inner peace but Phoenix managed to disturb that for him and he’d never divulged exactly why. David knew Dwayne had lived in Phoenix before meeting him but even he didn’t know what had happened and he’d never been overly interested in asking, figuring Dwayne would tell him if he wanted to.

‘What’s with you and this place?’ The new boys didn’t know well enough to not even ask and all Hayden got in return was an indignant look back at him for even speaking. David assumed something had happened here before he had met him and it was something that Dwayne didn’t want to share. It appeared to be something so bad that had made him be at peace with becoming one of Max’s boys. One day David would get it out of him but he didn’t have the time or inclination to now.

‘Dwayne, where’s Glendale Ave?’ David asked him.

‘About twenty minutes away.’

‘Let’s go get some bargaining power.’ David smiled. ‘This will be something Max won’t see coming. Lead the way…’ They weaved their way through the streets of Phoenix and found the corner of 2nd and Glendale, where they stopped and scoped out the dark suburban street filled with dark houses and sleeping residents. Walking down the side walk, David noticed that all the boys seemed to have sobered up and were quiet and more than a little nervous about what they were going to have to do next. Approaching the house, Dwayne flew up to the roof and Marko ducked out the back while David broke open the front door and stepped inside. The house was relatively small with stairs which led up to the bedrooms and David guided the boys up to the closed bedroom door at the top of the stairs. David had no idea if she would be alone in there or if he’d have to deal with some dude being a hero before taking what he came for but he didn’t care. He motioned for Alex to open the door but no one was prepared for what was behind it.

Bang!

A shotgun blast Alex right in the chest and jolted him backwards and into a shocked Hayden.

‘Alex!’ Cried Charlie but David ignored him.

‘You get out of here!’ Lucy shrieked at the intruders. ‘Sam, get over here! I’m calling the Police!’ She said to someone else as David walked into the room and found her on the phone. ‘Oh my God…’ She said staring at the same face that had changed her son into a monster all those years ago. 

‘Remember me?’ David smirked at her as he walked around the foot of the bed.

Bang! She shot again but the bullet missed him.

A thump was heard outside and Dwayne appeared out on the balcony making her jump and the new boys filed into the room after David to see the woman who had shot Alex.

‘Get out!’ She held up the gun again with a very shaky hand. ‘Sam’s coming and so are the Police!’ She stuttered.

‘You actually have to call the Police for them to come and ah, as for Sam? Well, I’m sure he’d like to see his brother again.’ Her face went white.

‘You killed Michael…’ She said quietly and he smiled at her.

‘And if you don’t come with us, I’ll kill you.’

‘What? I’m not going with you.’ He stepped closer and her grip on the gun became stronger.

‘Mom?!’ Sam called out running inside the house from down the street and, before he even knew what had hit him, he was tackled by Dwayne who had flown in the house after him. As the realisation that the vampire that he’d shot a bow and arrow into was the same person that was restraining him right now, Dwayne could feel his heart beat harder and the rise in the adrenalin make his blood rush faster.

‘What the fuck?!’ Sam managed ‘But I killed you.’

‘Yeah, about that…’ Dwayne replied, swiftly smacking him across the face. ‘Fuck you.’ He dragged Sam up the stairs and into the bedroom, holding him by the neck at an awkward angle. ‘You have a visitor.’

‘Oh God, leave him alone.’ Lucy pleaded.

‘There is no God here.’ David said looking from Dwayne to Lucy. ‘And put the gun down. It’s not going to do anything other than piss me off.’ She slowly lowered the gun as Alex limped into the room with Hayden helping him. David flicked him a glance of annoyance and returned his attention back to his purpose in being there. ‘It’s your choice. Either you both come willingly or you refuse and only one of you remains alive.’ Lucy looked at Sam and Dwayne twisted Sam’s neck further making him cry out.

‘OK, OK. I’ll go. We’ll go. Just let Sam go.’ She said and David motioned to Dwayne and Dwayne released his neck a bit so Sam could stand up straight revealing his broken nose and his split lip. ‘Oh Sam…’ She lamented looking at her son. ‘What do you want?’ Lucy asked David.

‘We’re going to see an old friend.’ David said, walking over and grabbing hold of her before tearing off out the window with the rest of the pack following and heading back up to San Francisco.


	66. Who's In Control - Star's POV

She took off out of the club without looking behind her and as she burst out of the door, the club’s security guards tried to stop her. She had tears in her eyes and blood on her mouth and they assumed she’d been hit.

‘I’m fine, I just want to leave.’ She said to large bouncer as she broke away from them and ran down the street and away from everyone.

‘Star?! Where are you?’ David’s voice appeared in her head and she began crying.

‘David!’ She cried again but she couldn’t manage to get anything else out.

‘Star, answer me. Where are you?’ He tried again.

‘I’m in San Francisco. Please come and get me.’

‘Star?!’ Dagan called out down the street for her and he watched as she disappeared in to the night. She definitely didn’t want to see them again.

‘You have done well. Now you are mine, you’ll never escape me no matter how much you cry for David.’ The voice from the club was back in her head and she now knew why it was so strong and influential. It was Max. ‘You were easier than I thought you would be.’

‘Go to Hell Max!’ She roared back in her head, she felt like a schizophrenic with all these voices in her head. She flew south towards the coast and she noticed immediately that her powers of flight and strength had improved greatly already but her head was spinning and she wasn’t coping with what she’d done. She couldn’t believe it, she’d actually done it and there was nothing she could do about it. She flew faster as if flying faster would take her away from it and make it all go away but the irony of her action wasn’t lost on her. She ducked down to a small bay by the ocean just outside of San Francisco to catch her breath and to try and clear the horrendous thoughts that were collapsing in on her. She was scared and in shock, she couldn’t breathe properly and the tears just wouldn’t stop. How had Max done that? David could command her to do certain things but Max’s influence was so much stronger and she had had no chance against his impact on her. He had made her do something that, for years, she had resisted so hard not to do. If he could do that after one night, what else could he do? She sat alone on a grassy mound watching the ocean surface glinting with silver and white from the moon and tried to calm herself down and she hoped that David would be there with her soon regardless of what David had done to her. He was the only person she thought would understand what she was going through. Obviously this was her destiny and it made her feel like her whole life had been a waste of time and she hated it. She hated herself, why couldn’t she have had a normal life with kids and a job and a family? She was crushed with a heavy depression. She couldn’t see a point in going on and she was back wanting to die and now she was a fully-fledged vampire, she knew how she was going to do it.

‘Are you OK?’ The voice startled her and she stood hoping it was David but she saw Zac standing there.

‘How did you…?’ Again she was shocked by his actions. How did he find her so fast?

‘I read it in your head. I tracked you.’ She couldn’t understand how he had the ability to be in her head. ‘Star, come back with me. You can’t be alone right now.’ He said walking towards her.

‘No, you guys did this to me.’ She held her hand out defensively and backed up.

‘You were half way there anyways, we just provided Max with an avenue to push you to finish it.’ He spoke calmly.

‘I have spent so much time fighting this and to trying to live a normal life away from this shit and in one night you guys help a guy, who I hardly know, fuck it all up for me.’ She was wildly angry. ‘Why would you do this to me? What did I do to you? Why wouldn’t you just leave me alone?’ After her outburst she began to cry again and Zac came towards her and wrapped his arms around her. ‘I don’t want to be like this.’ She sobbed on his chest as the permanence of her situation really sunk in. Zac said nothing and just held her as she worked through it and calmed down.

‘We need to get back.’ He said to her as she pulled away from him.

‘I don’t want to. I’m not going back there Zac.’ She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair.

‘You have to.’ He said again. ‘You have no choice, you’re under him now and he won’t let you go.’

‘He let David go.’ She countered him.

‘Did he?’ Zac asked rhetorically. ‘I don’t think so. Max has always had a hold on David and the only reason David thought he was free was because he thought Max was dead. Max is very much alive and David knows it.’ His comment made her stop. How did he know so much about David? What he’d said sounded feasible and she began to think about how wise it was to call for David’s help if that was the case. David was going to embrace the fact she’d turned but she had no one else to help her. She was all alone.

‘How did you find me?’ She asked him again. ‘Why are you the only one here?’

‘Ahhh… hmm, I like you. I mean we all like you, especially Mitch, but I have a connection with you.’ He said smiling. He looked almost shy and kind of cute and he was being kind to her which made her soften to him. The thought of Max coming after her was not appealing, even less so than when David was coming after her a few weeks ago but she didn’t cheat on Max, she didn’t even know Max back then and had no commitment to him. She had no idea where David was but if he was in Santa Carla, he should be arriving in San Francisco within the next half hour and she wondered if she could stall Zac so David could find her. She knew Zac wasn’t going to be letting her go anywhere without him right now and once again, she felt trapped. She hated the fact that Zac was right and that she had no choice without David’s backup.

‘Come on, you’re already in Max’s bad books, if you disappear now he’ll show you no mercy.’ She looked up at him. She really didn’t care about Max or what he could do to her and she’d welcome a reprieve from this life right now. ‘You would care if you knew what he will do to you. It will not be a simple death, he will make an example of you to David. You’ve caused bot Max and David too much harm and he’s looking for a way to punish David and put him back in his place.’

‘OK, how can you do that? I have no link to you like I do with David and his boys.’ He smiled at her which annoyed her.

‘You’ll never know if you try to leave.’ Again she was left looking into his mesmerizing eyes feeling intrigued by the boy. ‘And yes, I did know who you were on the Boardwalk.’ He held out his hand to her and smiled again. ‘Come on.’ She took his hand and her heart seemed to skip a beat with his touch, then as soon as he had her hand, they were airborne.

Arriving back at Max’s mansion, they went up to the upstairs lounge area and found Morgan reading something on the iPad and Mitch and Nate playing NBA 2K16 on the Playstation. They stopped long enough for Mitch to wink at her and for Nate to ask her if she was OK then Zac led her down to the main lounge and stood by the door waiting for Max. Max soon walked in from the balcony with Dagan trailing behind him.

‘You didn’t seriously think you’d just be able to leave like that, did you?’ His superior arrogance annoyed her. ‘You have my blood inside you now and it is older and you are under me now. As I told you Star, I am not David and nobody just walks away from me.’’

‘Except Lucy.’ She retorted and instantly regretted it when the back of his hand scorched her cheek. Zac closed his eyes and turned his head away upon hearing the slap while Dagan just stood and watched. ‘So that’s where David gets it.’ She gave him a steel look and stood there defiant. Max had to remember she was a newly turned vampire and feisty to boot.

‘You haven’t seen anything yet.’ He was going to have to get her under control or he was going to be in for a long first year with her. He’d not dealt with a female vampire in many, many years for a good reason. He had been prepared to turn Lucy because she was older and more mature and she was a mother, he knew if she was in love with him and he could control her but when David had told Max that he’d inducted Star, Max had been furious. He’d never even met her and David had no idea what the ultimate impact of a female vampire was. Max had known then, as he knew now, that Star was trouble. ‘If you think David is going to come and ‘save’ you, you’re poorly mistaken. You and Paul are my pack members now and it’s time for my prodigal son to return to me.’


	67. Still Waters - David's POV

By the time David got up to San Francisco there were only a few hours left until daylight and, although his desire to go get Paul and Star was urgent, his intelligence told him to bide his time and confront his sire when everyone was fresh and rested. Dwayne was pissed off and the new pledges were either hungover or half asleep. Too much had happened to them in their first eight hours of being vampires and they needed sleep. David had a headache and needed some downtime himself and to really think through what he was going to do next. Being as old as he was, David had spent time in almost all major cities and knew where he could bed down for the day and be safe. There had been the odd occasion where, while he was away, the place would be sold or renovated and it was no longer suitable for him anymore but he was almost always either alone or with just his boys so it was never too much of a problem. This was not one of those times and having an entourage of nine people tonight he was grateful that the place he’d chosen was still the same. To his surprise Charlie willingly handed over a credit card to pay for three rooms at the hotel and again David saw more of a use for these boys than just to battle Max. David dragged Lucy and Dwayne followed with Sam into one of the rooms while the others split off into the other two rooms. David knew that after what those boys had seen tonight, there was no way they’d just be ditching off on their own, especially with Alex still in bad shape. David had no real concern over Alex, in fact he almost wished he had died as that would create more fear in the others. If Alex was going to be too much of a pain in the ass though David might kill him himself, he hadn’t quite decided on that one yet. Lucy and Sam sat on the bed, their arms around each other and just the sight of them made David irritable. They brought back too many memories of Michael and what had happened, it had been bad enough seeing Edgar and Alan and look what happened to them. Even Star had held heavy residual memories, them being the reason he’d tracked her in the first place, only he also had good memories with her too. Lucy was the reason Michael had been forced upon him back then and Sam had ‘killed’ Dwayne, for lack of a better word. He just wanted Paul and Star back and for Max to fuck off. He really didn’t even want to deal with this, Star was giving him enough dramas on her own, Max was the last thing he wanted to revisit.

‘As soon as you fuckers go to sleep, I’m going to open those curtains and fry your asses!’ Sam spat at the two of them. ‘You can’t stay awake once that sun comes up!’ Dwayne leaned over and smashed Sam in the face again making Sam fall backwards and knocking Sam out for the count.

‘Nooo!!!’ Lucy screamed as Sam’s nose flattened against his face and his blood splattered all over her. Lucy stared at Dwayne shocked.

‘That kid’s an idiot. Both your sons were it seems.’ David said.

‘You fucking speak and you’ll be next.’ Dwayne directed at Lucy.

‘Find something to tie them up with.’ David told Dwayne and after looking around for something suitable but coming up empty, he took the sheets, tore them into strips and he tied them both together back to back and shoved them in the bath tub. Dwayne came back into the main room and saw David seething next to the window so he pulled out a joint and lit it, mentally calling Marko in to join them. After a few tokes David visibly relaxed enough to ask Marko what the other boys were doing.

‘Ahhh... Charlie and Alex have crashed and Dean is lying on the couch watching TV about to do the same. Hayden is having a shower but he looks like he’s freaking out a bit. Could he be turning feral already?’ Marko answered mildly concerned, that’s what David wanted to have happen but he wasn’t sure if it was possible that quickly. He didn’t answer Marko instead he analysed Marko’s words trying to remember what Max had told him about ferals. He needed to go to Max as soon as possible, he knew something had happened to Star to have her calling for him crying like she did, he could only imagine what Max had done to Paul. ‘Dave, what are we going to do?’ Marko asked him and David looked at Marko again seeing his brothers apprehensiveness about what could happen to them and knowing he needed some reassurance.

‘We’ll be alright Marko.’ David didn’t have a real plan of attack for Max, he was actually planning on playing it by ear but with one potentially turning feral already, he was beginning to feel the need for some sort of something or Max would eat them alive. He found he was trapped between a rock and a hard place, which is exactly where Max would want him to be. In the rare occasions David was stuck in this way, he tended to act rashly and make mistakes and that’s when Max had him. David sat in the room looking at the window at the clouds shrouding the semi-circle moon and thought back to Max’s tricks to try prepare himself. He thought about Paul too and wondered if he was alright, David was getting more and more anxious with the lack of communication from him and he asked Dwayne to try and contact him again. He was trying not to even think about Star, it was just going to make his mood worse. They were all toasted and Marko took the remote and flicked on the small TV which was running a repeat of the previous night’s news.

‘The recent development in the Santa Carla killings has surprised Haematologists and Detectives alike. The blood found at the scene has been determined to be human but be unlike anything they have ever seen before. The blood appears to have self-healing properties which has baffled and excited scientists as they continue to study it. They have however mapped the DNA and are currently attempting to trace it through all California hospitals and Police Departments.’ The news reporter went on to say they were focussing their efforts on San Francisco and Santa Carla first. Marko looked toward David and after seeing his dead pan expression after the news story, he looked at Dwayne who returned his look of trepidation. This appeared to be a problem to them both but there was no detectible reaction from David, he just turned his head and looked back out the window without saying anything. Fucking great, yet another thing he’d have to deal with. Even though the chances of them tracking the blood back to Star was next to zero, Max would make him pay for it. He had no idea how he was supposed to ‘fix’ this to Max’s liking unless he killed the entire LAPD, SFPD and the Haematology Department at Cedars Sinai. He decided his best plan was to get in and get out and if Max wanted to engage in a confrontation, David would react. The four extras David had picked up could distract Max while Marko and Dwayne collected Paul and David would find Star and they would leave. David knew Max and knew the effect Max could inflict upon him so the less time David spent with him the better but David knew that it wouldn’t be that easy, that Max wouldn’t just let him stroll on in without incident.

The sun was rising and even though David’s mind was racing, he knew he had to get some sleep. Max was so in tune with his boys, he’d seek out any weakness in a heartbeat and exploit it, especially with David. He stood and closed the curtains and lay on the bed. Marko had returned to the room next door and Dwayne was occupying the other bed. David was remembering more and more about Max and be began to see the feral vampire next door as very much a plus and not a detriment and he hoped another one would turn that way too. Max would be expecting David, Dwayne and Marko, although he wouldn’t be expecting the altered, more vicious Marko, and he may even be expecting others but he wouldn’t be expecting Lucy. She was David’s trump card and it would be a simple trade as long as Max still gave a shit about her. David lay there as the sun came over the horizon and began to sap his consciousness and lull him into his daily sleep but before he succumb, he couldn’t help himself, and he thought of his wife. The reason for all the dramas in his existence and his reason for being. Again he questioned whether she was worth all this trouble and what she really had to offer him but he still found he felt the same about her as he did the first day he met her. He mentally spoke to her and said only one word, knowing Max would probably be listening. Tomorrow.


	68. Still Waters - Star's POV

Max left and a wave of rage and frustration washed over her making her want to scream. She looked over at Zac, and Dagan, seeing the exchange between the two of them, told Zac to go upstairs then he led Star to the room she had previously slept in and left her there alone.

‘Dagan, you can’t leave me here!’ she screamed down the hall after him but she got no response. She was so panicked and angry she was blinking away tears as she paced around the room almost tearing her hair out, she had never felt like this before and she was almost out of control. She knew she needed to calm herself down and think straight and she only had one proven way that she could do that, she needed to run. She wanted her treadmill, she hadn’t been able to run in weeks and right now she was desperate to try and calm this new beast within and centre herself. She couldn’t imagine there would be a gym room in Max’s estate and there was no way they were going to let her pop out for a quick jog, she didn’t even have proper clothing to do it and just thinking about it was making her stew harder over it. She was trapped, again. Why did vampires want to contain her all the time? She didn’t think she posed any real threat to them, even though she was the catalyst that caused all that trouble with the Emerson’s. Ugh, she hated her life. Well, if she couldn’t exert the energy out she wanted to suppress it with one of Paul’s trusty smokes. Maybe if she got stoned, she wouldn’t care as much. She wondered if Paul had one stashed in his pockets, he always had a smoke on him somewhere but she would have to find him first. She then began to think of Paul and the fact that Max had been keeping him from her and her anger surged again. Why wouldn’t he allow her to see him? She only wanted to see that he was OK. His injury had surely been close to fatal and she definitely didn’t want to be the only one here if Paul had indeed perished. The thought of Paul losing his life, again, all alone here without Dwayne or David was painful for her and a tear slid down her cheek. She pulled herself together, as much as she could, and she peered down the empty hallway and contemplated going in search of him, she figured the young boys were in their lounge area and would be for the next few hours until day break but she had no idea where they slept, nor did she know where Max was. It took her all but a second to decide to take her chances and go look for him. She needed to see a familiar face and once she had found him, they could contact David together and get the hell out of here.

She headed quietly down the hallway and began looking in each room as she passed them. She didn’t think they would keep Paul so close to her if they were trying to keep them apart but if she could ascertain where everyone was, she would at least know where to avoid. She found Morgan in the room down the hall from hers on a tablet reading again and he was so absorbed in what he was reading that he didn’t even notice her, and if he did sense her, he paid her no mind. She continued to check rooms as she went further but didn’t find anyone else, she again hoped they were in the lounge as she’d gone the other way. She was slightly worried Zac would be able to track her thoughts again and cursed David for never teaching her how to block that type of intrusion but there was nothing she could do about it now so she just kept going. She got to a second stairwell leading back down only this one seemed to bypass the second level of the house and led further down to the basement. Creeping down to the bottom of the stairs, she came to a door on her left and to her right was the garage where the cars were. Although going right was a very tempting option as it was a potential exit out of here, she chose left to continue her search for Paul. She tried to be as quiet as she could when she opened the door but with her now enhanced hearing, every tiny noise sounded like a bulldozer charging through the door to her. The hallway was dark with no windows and the only light was coming from some dim lamps along the wall and the further she walked, some voices became apparent to her. The hallway had four doors leading from it and the voices appeared to be coming from the last one at the end. As she walked past the other three she attempted to open them but they were all locked and approaching the last door, she could hear Max talking to someone.

‘How are you feeling now?’

‘I want more.’ It was Paul but he still sounded somewhat incapacitated.

‘Here.’ Max said back to him. She couldn’t see into the room to see what Max was giving him but she assumed it was his blood. ‘Have you heard from David?’ There was no audible answer from Paul. There was a long pause before anyone spoke again. ‘Now, get off, I need to leave.’ Star jumped back, she definitely couldn’t be found in the hallway. She ran on tip toe to the door out to the garage and hid behind one of the cars. Max strode out a minute later, stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked up as if he was listening before a smile crept across his face and he chuckled quietly to himself. ‘He’ll be here soon.’ He said a little too loud for it to be to himself and she was sure he knew she was there. He then turned and calmly walked up the stairs. Even though Max had gone, she was almost too scared to move. She didn’t want to be found there and she was also sure one of the other boys would be sent down to collect her any minute so she had to move fast. She bolted towards the door and down the end room door.

‘Paul.’ She mentally projected to him but got silence. ‘Paul!’ She tried again but still got no response and she wondered if he’d been told to block her. ‘Paul.’ She whispered at the door. ‘Paul.’ She said a little louder and tapped her nails on the door. ‘Paul, please answer me.’ She said beginning to feel like this was hopeless.

‘Star?’ He spoke to her and her heart lifted.

‘Yes, can you open the door?’ She asked him and he did, standing before her, pale white with large fresh scars on his throat. ‘Oh God, are you OK?!’ She stepped forward to give him a hug and he placed his arm around her but remained stiff to her touch then turned to sit on the bed he’d been recovering on. She looked around the room and again there were no windows or anything else for that matter aside from another door leading further under the house which she assumed was a bathroom as he was clean with no blood stains anywhere but he looked uncomfortable, not only physically but also with her being there. ‘Are you OK, can you walk properly?’ She asked him, showing genuine concern for him.

‘I’ll live.’ He said simply.

‘Have you heard from David? He won’t leave us here will he?’ She asked looking around the room for his jacket and boots.

‘No.’ He said.

‘That’s OK, we’ll just grab your stuff and get out of here. I have told him where we are but we can just meet him somewhere. Where’s your jacket?’ She asked picking up his boots and looking around the other side of the bed. Paul sat there on the bed and she became aware that the silence in the room was growing and she looked at him.

‘I can’t leave Star.’

‘What?’ She stepped closer to him. ‘What do you mean you can’t leave?’ She repeated his words sensing there was a bigger problem than just his throat injury. ‘We have to leave. We can’t stay here!’ She scrambled around to find his jacket but she didn’t realise that she was acting more frantic than even she thought she was and it wasn’t going unnoticed by Paul. It made him pay closer attention to her and it suddenly hit him making his dead heart sink into his stomach.

‘Oh fuck Star, what have you done?’ She looked up at him and her eyes involuntarily glinted tell-tale red. ‘After everything, you choose now to turn? While you’re here? What were you thinking?’ He was telling her off and she felt guilty, like she’d done something against the rules.

‘I didn’t have a choice. They made me drink some of Max’s blood and he…’

‘You’ve had his blood?’ He interrupted her.

‘Yeah, his boys gave it to me…’

‘Boys? There are others?’ Everything she said appeared to make it worse.

‘Yeah, they took me to a club and…’

‘You killed? At a CLUB?! With witnesses?’ He was more animated than she wanted him to be about this. ‘With Max’s blood in you? Did he compel you? Was he in your head?’ She didn’t want to answer that or know what it meant. ‘Star…’ He pressed.

‘Yes.’ She said quietly and Paul repressed his urge to react. ‘I thought David would be happy I’d finally done it.’ He half smiled and shook his head in disbelief. ‘I didn’t want to. I couldn’t help it.’ She stressed.

‘Well now you can’t go anywhere either.’ She looked at him not wanting to believe what he’d just said to her.

‘No, I’m leaving. David is coming to get us.’ She insisted.

‘You may not want David to come and get you now girl. I was comatose and had no choice but you, you did this on your own.’ He warned her and she shook her head.

‘No, I was pressured and pushed. They forced me.’ Her voice wavered in panic.

‘David has been trying to get you to turn for years using the same techniques and you have resisted him but Max gets hold of you and you turn in a snap?’ He said confirming her worst fears. ‘You ain’t getting out of this one, you’re one of us and you belong here. Max has tied us up nice and tight now hasn’t he?’ One of us? What was he talking about? Why was he sounding like Max? She began to feel sick as the reality of what Paul was saying began to sink in. Was he no longer David’s pack member? Was it because of Max’s blood that everything had changed? Regardless of Paul’s switch in loyalty, she still felt connected to David and wanted him to come and get her, and if Paul wanted to stay, so be it.

‘Paul please come with me?’ She tried once more and he just sat there and looked at her.

‘I can’t.’ He said but with a slight sadness in his eyes.

‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you but I’m leaving.’ She stood up straight and dropped his boots while turning away to face the door.

‘Star, you don’t know who you’re playing with here. David cares about you, Max does not. Be careful.’ He said making her stop and look at him one last time before leaving. She walked down the hall and out to the garage with thoughts of taking one of the cars crossing her mind but she thought better of it and decided a silent exit would suit her needs best. The garage door was open and as she walked out onto the driveway Max’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

‘If you think what David has done to you has been bad Star, it will look like child’s play after what I will do to you if you try to leave.’ She took another step. ‘That’s the last warning I will give you. I know he’s hit you, threatened and manipulated you. I know he’s raped you and it will all pale in comparison to what I will have my boys do to you.’ She looked up and saw Dagan and Zac standing a few feet in front of her, Morgan appeared on the balcony above her and Nate leaned against one side of the house while Mitch came out from the main entrance on the other side and none of them looked happy to see her. She heard a lighter flick behind her and, expecting to see Max, she turned to see Paul lighting a cigarette leaning with his back against one of the cars. It was like a symbolic gesture showing her he was now one of them and she briefly wondered if they did anything to her, would he do anything to stop them but one look into his eyes told her no. They had her surrounded and were all projecting the same blank expression at her just waiting to be given the go ahead by Max and she knew had nowhere to go. ‘Now, get inside.’ Max ordered her. He was going to assert his ultimate authority over her straight off the bat, he knew what she’d done in the past and knew her potential and he would never let that happen again. He had Paul and once he had Star locked down, David would fold like a house of cards. She stood there looking ahead, past the two in front of her and at the trees lining the driveway, she had no back up but she also had nothing to lose and her rebellious streak flared again and she took yet another step forward prompting Dagan and Zac to move towards her, Nate to push off the house, Morgan to jump down from the balcony and Mitch to begin to walk slowly down towards the garage. Paul was the only one not to move, he just continued to smoke and watch her. She instantly found herself stuck, unable to move and her determination to leave began to falter. She had experienced this feeling before when David wanted her on his bike and she was being difficult only this was much stronger, everything about Max was much stronger and she became scared. Suddenly she could taste his blood in her mouth again and she wanted it, she wanted it so bad her mouth was watering for it and it was quickly consuming her thoughts. She spun on her heel and, almost involuntarily, she walked past Mitch and Paul and walked back towards the house and Paul followed in after her. She headed straight to the kitchen but Max called her to go to him. She walked up to his room to find him standing in front of his fire place. ‘Come here.’ He told her and without hesitation, she walked towards him and he sliced his wrist open and let his arm hang down by his side letting the blood stream down his hand and drip onto the floor. She was unable to take her eyes off the gushing wound, it was mesmerizing her and she dropped to her knees in front of him and he lifted his arm to her and allowed her to drink from it. Paul stood in the doorway and watched her kneel before Max he knew David was going to lose his shit over this. He looked up at Max and Max had a huge shit eating grin on his face.


	69. Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine - David's POV

David woke up to Lucy screaming and upon getting up he saw Lucy beating on Dwayne’s back and Dwayne tearing at Sam’s shoulder with blood splatter all over the bathroom. David went in and pulled Lucy off him and shut her up and Dwayne dropped the now dead Sam and turned his head to look over at his leader.

‘What the fuck?’ David asked looking at the mess in the bath and Dwayne turned to face David and he had a large kitchen knife protruding from his chest. David dropped both his expression and his attitude. Fuck. This proved a bigger problem than David cared to admit as they had used a traceable credit card to rent the rooms and the reception staff could describe the occupants of the room, plus Dwayne had bled there. This whole place was going to have to go up. David called the other boys in the room and instructed Marko and Hayden to set the other rooms alight, if the fires started in those rooms, the investigators would focus on them and not the one filled with blood. Marko was good with fire, he’d make it look like an electrical spark or at least a cigarette left burning. David left with Dwayne and Lucy out the window while the others left out the front as to not arouse suspicion. Once Marko and Hayden were done, they flew out of the window and met the boys down the street then they left to go to Max’s house as soon as the smoke became apparent and they knew the place was going. The closer David got to Max’s location the stronger the feeling David was experiencing became and Max began to mentally taunt him.

‘Come to me David.’ He heard in his head above the sound of the rushing wind in his ears and it spurred him on faster. ‘I’m waiting for you.’ David knew Max would be locked in on him which annoyed him as he’d been hoping for a somewhat surprise attack but no such luck now. David and his boys landed out the front of the driveway and out of sight of the house.

‘This is it boys. Dwayne, I want you to find Paul. Marko, I want you to take the other boys and distract Max so I can find Star.’

‘Game on.’ Marko said smiling and biting his nail. In all reality Marko had no intention of fighting Max, he’d leave these new guys to do that, this was his chance to find and kill Star. That bitch had what was coming to her and he was happy to deliver it. Marko was sure David would be too distracted by Max, as David was Max’s focus, and when all was said and done Star would just be a casualty of this situation. Dwayne went around the back and found his way in through a basement window, while Marko kicked the front door in and led the other boys inside, splitting up once they’d entered. Charlie followed Dwayne and took Lucy down to one of the rooms that he’d already inspected and waited for David’s further instruction while David entered through a sliding door into one of the many rooms on the third level of the house. Dwayne was systematically going through every room on the bottom level, including the locked ones, and his search for Paul became intensified as he heard the commotion begin upstairs. Marko headed upstairs straight away in an attempt to find her faster but got caught up by Max’s new boys, whom he wasn’t expecting to encounter or have to deal with. Dagan made quick work of Alex, who still hadn’t healed properly from Lucy’s gunshot wound and from there it was all on. Marko couldn’t help himself and he turned around and launched towards Dagan who, for all intents and purposes, put up a decent fight before succumbing to Marko’s depravity leaving a very messy corpse on Max’s thick white hallway rug. Meanwhile Hayden, in his semi feral state, was ripping and tearing at everything that moved, even Marko was quietly impressed with the madness coming from the boy and the speed and efficiency Hayden took care of Morgan and Nate almost simultaneously. He was an animal and Marko hoped he survived this so they could hang out afterwards. Marko took off to hopefully find Star before David did and as he did, Hayden had skipped a beat and had his head torn off by Mitch who had witnessed his mate be obliterated by the young vampire, making Marko stop. The whole scene had freaked Dean out a bit and he had stood back when his childhood friend Hayden had done what he’d done, but now he was alone with the vampire who’d killed him. His body and mind couldn’t reconcile what was happening in front of him and for him, it was too late. Mitch stopped and smiled at the boys’ hesitation.

‘Amateur.’ He said before he attacked Dean. To Dean’s credit, he put up more of a fight than Mitch was expecting but was simply not strong enough, physically or mentally, to compete with Mitch.

David continued to search the upper level of the house with a calm urgency, ignoring the bloodshed going on downstairs. The longer it was taking him to find her, the more frustrated he was getting and the less care he was taking of the chattels of the house. Bursting into one of the last rooms of the hall, he discovered her curled up under the arm of a young man, a young vampire no less, and he lost it letting out a deep guttural growl before grabbing the boy and tossing him across the room, slamming him into the large bay window. He found the vampire as easy to throw as a rag doll which confirmed to him that he was far stronger than the pleb.

‘David?’ Star was quickly up and trying to put her arms around his neck but he pulled back and studied her at arm’s length. Once again he’d found her in bed with another man which made his insecurities and jealousy spike. Was she going to do this every time they were apart? No wonder he had trust issues and questioned why he was doing anything for her now.

‘What the fuck is going on here?’ He growled at her. ‘What have you done?’ He demanded an answer from her immediately and he watched as Star’s eyes flicked sideways at the creature struggling to get up. ‘Star.’ He instantly pulled her attention back to him.

‘I didn’t. I haven’t done anything David, not with Zac.’ She looked scared as she pleaded for him to believe her.

‘Zac?’ He rose his eyebrows to her addressing him by name then sliding his eyes over to the lump on the floor and striding over and slamming his boot into his ribs and hearing multiple snaps. ‘No one sleeps with my girl.’ He looked back to her and she was looking away, her eyes closed, and he knew she was keeping something from him. He grabbed her wrist and led her out of the room and downstairs towards the chaos. All David wanted to do now was to find Dwayne and Paul then pick up Marko on the fucking way out of here. Judging by the noise David had heard, he wasn’t surprised by the scene that greeted him downstairs, nor was he surprised by Max’s other vampires being there. Obviously Max had replaced his ‘family’ and when he saw the state of Marko he smiled as he looked like he’d done a number on many of Max’s new boys.

‘I can’t find him.’ Dwayne appeared from downstairs and David’s brief enjoyment of Marko’s success waned. He looked at Star and asked her where Paul was and she said she didn’t know. He decided it was time to confront the conspicuously absent Max.

‘Max!’ He called out and walked down the hallway into an immaculate large open plan room at the end of the hall and found Max in a large throne like chair.

‘Welcome home my son.’ Max said condescendingly and David didn’t take it well. ‘I see your respect levels haven’t risen, judging by the way you entered my house.’

‘Where is he?’ David demanded ignoring Max’s dig. ‘Where is Paul?’ David asked morphing into his true self as Marko and Dwayne walked into the room followed by Mitch helping Zac.

‘Ahh… All my boys are home.’ Max smiled at David. ‘We can move forward now.’

‘Oh, I’m not staying Max, I just came for my property and then we’re leaving.’ David countered his sire arrogantly and Max’s smile widened.

‘Don’t you want to get to know your blood David? Your true blood is standing in this room.’ Max was talking in riddles just to fuck with his head and he knew it.

‘What are you talking about?’ David asked warily. ‘I just want Paul.’ He didn’t trust Max as far as he could kick him.

‘Oh David, look around you. Don’t you recognise your own family?’ David searched Max’s face for some kind of understanding of what he was on about and he quickly dismissed it becoming annoyed at Max’s distraction tactic.

‘Listen, just give me Paul so we can get the fuck out of here.’ David’s eyes glinted pure hatred at Max and Max only returned it with a look of amusement.

‘Look to your right David. He’s your blood.’ Max had thrown him with the comment and David shot his gaze to his right and saw Zac looking nervously back at him. David was confused, he never had any kids so what the fuck? Max was lying to him. Then David looked at Zac a little longer and he thought that maybe they had similar eyes and facial structure but then he denied it and fired his glance back at Max. He would not be manipulated by Max any longer.

‘Ahhh, you can see it, can’t you?’ Max spoke to Star and David looked at her and she almost looked guilty. ‘You’ve spent time with him, you know it’s true.’ He felt Star hide behind his arm and hold onto him to him tighter and David had had enough. Max was managing to distract everyone with this crap.

‘This is bullshit! Where is Paul?!’

‘Zac is your little brother’s great grandson David.’ Max told him and with the silence it caused in the room, you could have heard a pin drop. David looked back at Zac and didn’t know what to say, Max had actually found some of David’s family? Why would Max do that? What the fuck was going on here? Max knew David didn’t want to have anything to do with any of his family. This was fucked up and way more than David was prepared to deal with and, in that moment, Max had him. David needed to regain some control.

‘I don’t give a fuck. Where is Paul?’ David felt like he was losing it and suddenly Paul appeared from out on the balcony and stood next to Max’s chair but he wouldn’t look David in the eye.

‘Come on man.’ Marko urged his brother to join them but when Paul failed to do so, and David saw the expression on Max’s face, he knew something was wrong.

‘Paul.’ David commanded him but still Paul stood there.

‘I can’t’ Paul projected to David and David knew exactly why.

 **‘FUCK YOU!’** David exploded at Max and out of the corner of his eye he saw one of Max’s plebs move but Max raised his hand and stopped him.

‘David, you know better than to challenge me. I told you, you have always been my favourite and, regardless of our disagreements in the past, I told you to come back to me. You have chosen to do this the hard way.’ Max’s face and tone changed. ‘You’re lucky he’s alive.’ David seethed at Max’s arrogance and the superiority he still held in every situation. ‘I have done what I said I would. I am a man of my word, something I thought I had passed onto you.’ David stood there, deadly still, with his ice cold look still on Max. ‘You should be thanking me. I have completed something for you that you that you have wanted for years. I really do have your best interests at heart. Our family is now complete, David. The weak have gone and everyone has turned.’ Max sounded proud and David’s mind shot back to Star screaming his name two nights ago and his heart dropped into his stomach. ‘Isn’t that right Star?’ Max addressed her and David looked back at his wife and she now wore a grey pallor. ‘Star come to me.’ Max suddenly commanded her, his demeanour growing darker. David held onto her and didn’t let her move. ‘Star.’ Max repeated and David felt her move, she had no choice and David knew it. Max was proving his power over her to David and he was fuming and feeling like a python about to strike. He watched her go and stand on the other side of Max’s chair. Both Star and Paul stood there looking back at David with guilt plastered all over their faces.

‘What the fuck?’ Marko said not believing what he was seeing. David’s attitude changed again and instead of raging, the corner of his mouth turned up into one of his famous smirks, it was time to pull out his Ace. He mentally called for Charlie to bring Lucy upstairs and within two minutes they both entered the room to the collective shock of almost everyone there. David pulled out a cigarette from behind his ear and his Zippo.

‘My turn.’ David smiled. He then lit it, sucked in the smoke and blew it out, doing yet another thing Max hated in his house.


	70. Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine - Star's POV

Being filled with Max’s life force Star was about as high as a vampire could get, his blood was like a concentrated alcohol and she could barely walk afterwards. Max had left her sitting on the floor and he’d walked out past Paul, telling him to take her one of the rooms upstairs and as Paul looked at her he felt a sick feeling in his stomach. She was gone and he couldn’t see how she could be brought back. He wanted to contact David and tell him it was over, that there was no point and to let it go but he didn’t. Max’s wrath was even harsher than that of David’s and he wasn’t willing to bring that upon himself. Max wanted David back. He picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

‘I love you Paul. She beamed at him. ‘I’m so happy you are here with me.’ Her legs felt heavy and she relied on him to help her walk. ‘I want to go somewhere.’ She mumbled.

‘You are girl, you’re going to bed.’ He said to her as he walked her up the stairwell, down the hall and into one of the rooms. Walking in, he was surprised to see Zac was sitting on the edge of the bed.

‘Zac!’ She cried, attempting to move towards him but just about falling.

‘Woah, hold on.’ Paul said, catching her and forcibly guiding her away from the guy and towards the top of the bed but despite Paul’s efforts, she fell into Zac when she reached the bed and she instantly wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck.

‘Zac, will you take me somewhere?’ Paul won’t let me go anywhere. Please?’ She looked up at him and he looked back at her half smiling. Paul stood back and looked at the two of them suspiciously.

‘You know she’s married right?’ Paul told him.

‘I am not married!’ Star stumbled on her words.

‘I was at your wedding.’ Paul answered her protest. ‘Look at your finger.’ She unwrapped her arms and looked at her hand.

‘Oh yeah, I am aren’t I. I didn’t want to marry David. Where is he?’ Paul pulled her off Zac and laid her down in the bed, David’s blood was too strong for her but Max’s had sent her off the planet. Suddenly she stopped, dead still, as if someone was speaking to her then she looked at Paul and smiled. ‘He’s coming for us tomorrow.’ Paul looked at her and he almost wished Zac hadn’t have heard her but what did it matter? Max would already know.

‘She’ll be fine now.’ Paul said, coaxing Zac out of the room.

‘I’m babysitting tonight.’ Zac said motioning to Star. ‘Max’s orders.’ He sat on the couch next to Star’s bed and put his feet up on the edge of the bed. Star had just about passed out and Paul could feel sleep tugging at him and he was losing the fight.

‘Don’t touch her.’ Paul warned him.

‘It’s alright Pauly, he’s my friend.’ Star said, her eyes closed. Zac looked from Star to Paul and smiled a smile that Paul didn’t like. Reluctantly, Paul left.

‘Star?’ Zac turned his attention back to Star.

‘Mmm?’ She moved her head towards the voice.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked.

‘I want to go out.’ She mumbled again, even though she was lying totally still with her eyes closed.

‘We can’t go out, the sun is coming up.’

‘Hmm, well I want a hug.’ She held her arms up to him and he went to her. She moved over and made room for him on her bed and he lay on top of the covers and held her in his arms and she curled up to him and went to sleep. He knew what he was doing was dangerous but sleep took him before he could really analyse why he was doing it and break away from her.

The door flung open and she woke up to a deep growling and whoever was next to her was thrown to the other side of the room into the windows, smashing them through the curtains but not going through them. She sat up feeling hungover and looked in shock at the man standing in front of her.

‘David?’ She said breathlessly and jumped up to hug him but he stopped her and held her painfully by her shoulders, staring hard at her.

‘What the fuck is going on here?’ She could hear banging and smashing going on downstairs but his attention was firmly fixed on her. ‘What have you done?’ Zac moaned over in the corner and she looked over at him but David ignored him. ‘Star.’ He said again in his harsh tone. Chaos seemed to be erupting around them but she watched him be as calm as he could be and she found, once again, he was making her accountable for her perceived indiscretion. Although this time, she genuinely hadn’t done anything, at least she didn’t think she had. She remembered drinking from Max but not much else after that.

‘I didn’t. I haven’t done anything David, not with Zac.’ She was desperate for him to believe her, she didn’t want him to think she’d betrayed him again, especially after what he did the last time she had.

‘Zac?’ David said to her walking over towards him and kicking him hard in the ribs and she looked away at yet another innocent being hurt because of her. ‘No one sleeps with my girl.’ David roared at him and she could only imagine how David was going to react to her being a full vampire under Max’s rule but she decided she’d deal with that once they were all safe and back at the Cave. David grabbed her and pulled her downstairs and as she descended the stairs, she saw absolute carnage with blood and bodies strewn all over the place. Marko was standing near a dead Dagan all covered in blood and Morgan looked like he was dead too. There were a few people whom she had no idea who they were that were also not moving. Had David come with other people? She walked past feeling confused and scared but, with David standing next to her, she felt a bit safer.

‘I can’t find him.’ Dwayne appeared behind them and David turned to her.

‘Where is Paul?’

‘I don’t know.’ She said shaking her head.

‘Max!’ David screamed and walked down the hallway into Max’s room.

‘Welcome home my son. I see your respect levels haven’t risen, judging by the way you entered my house.’ She felt David stiffen at Max’s words.

‘Where is he?’ David asked. ‘Where is Paul?’ She turned as Marko and Dwayne came into the room followed shortly after by Mitch helping a limping Zac. She felt guilty seeing Zac again.

‘Ahh… All my boys are home now.’ Max said ignoring David’s question and pointing at the other boys in the room. ‘We can move forward now.’

‘Oh, I’m not staying Max, I just came for my property and then we’re leaving.’ Max’s smile widened at David’s response and it scared her.

‘Don’t you want to get to know your blood David? Your true blood is standing in this room.’

‘What are you talking about?’ David asked. ‘I just want Paul.’

‘Oh David, look around you. Don’t you recognise your own family?’ Family? Star was his only family being his wife. What was Max talking about?

‘Listen, just give me Paul so we can get the fuck out of here.’ She recognised David’s patience wearing thin and wondered how long he would let this continue.

‘Look to your right David. He’s your blood.’ Star looked to their right and saw Zac and her confusion became clearer. His demeanour, his facial structure, his knowledge, his eyes. Oh, especially his eyes. He was just like David. Who was he? Her disbelief turning to realisation was apparent and she looked back at Max.

‘Ahhh, you can see it, can’t you?’ Max said to her. ‘You’ve spent time with him, you know it’s true.’ Max sounded like he was telling on her and she glared at him from behind David’s arm.

‘This is bullshit! Where is Paul?!’ David spat.

‘Zac is your little brother’s great grandson David.’ She looked at David and he was still and watching Max like a hawk. She glanced at Dwayne and Marko and they were just as shocked, Paul displayed no sign of knowing this either. The air in the room was empty as David and Zac looked at each other.

‘I don’t give a fuck. Where is Paul?’ Suddenly David flipped and Paul appeared from out on the balcony and stood next to Max’s chair.

‘Come on man.’ Marko said but Paul stood there and looked at him solemnly while Max smiled another shit eating grin. She felt David tense up.

‘Paul.’ David said to him and Paul and David had some silent communication between them that she was not privy to.

 **‘FUCK YOU!’** David roared at Max and Mitch went to react but Max motioned towards him stopping him. The air was thick with tension and she was terrified. If it all kicked off, she didn’t know what she was going do.

‘David, you know better than to challenge me. I told you, you have always been my favourite, regardless of our disagreements in the past, I told you to come back to me. You have chosen to do this the hard way.’ Max’s face and tone changed. ‘You’re lucky he’s alive. I have done what I said I would. I am a man of my word, something I thought I had passed onto you. You should be thanking me. I have completed something for you that you that you have wanted for years. I really do have your best interests at heart. Our family is now complete, David. The weak have gone and everyone has turned.’ No, no, no. She closed her eyes, a wave of sickness drowning her in the knowledge he was going to tell David. ‘Isn’t that right Star?’ He said it and she could feel the heaviness of David’s stare upon her. ‘Star come to me.’ Max suddenly commanded her, his demeanour growing darker and she felt David grab hold of her tighter. ‘Star.’ Her solar plexus tensed up and she felt she had to move, she had to go to him regardless of what she consciously wanted to do. The compulsion was insane and far stronger than David’s was upon her and she let David’s arm go and walked towards Max. Max now sat between Paul and Star and she looked at David, her eyes full of sorrow and she saw his face change with the realisation of the extent Max had gone to fuck him over.

‘What the fuck?’ Marko said and, to her surprise, David stood there and smirked at his sire. Even for him, the reaction was out of the ordinary until a strange young man walked in holding a terrified, shaking Lucy Emerson.

‘My turn.’ David smiled, lighting a cigarette and Star’s jaw dropped.


	71. Where To From Here - David's POV

Just by looking at Max’s expression, David knew he had blindsided him and he continued to smoke his cigarette, satisfied his plan was successful. 

‘Lucy.’ Max said, rather tentatively. ‘Has he hurt you?’ David found the question interesting, he wasn’t stupid enough to jeopardise his position by hurting her, even though he felt Max deserved it. He turned to look Lucy, intimidating her before she answered, and saw it was obvious she was about to cry.

‘They killed Michael and Sam.’ She said, tears rolling down her cheeks and Max flicked his eyes from Lucy to David and David met them with an air of indifference.

‘So this is how I figure it,’ David interrupted, ‘you take her and I take Paul and Star back.’ David took one last drag from his cigarette and flicked it out past Max and onto his balcony, glancing at both Star and Paul. ‘Let me take what’s mine and I’m gone.’

‘Oh David, forever the petulant teenager demanding to get what you want.’ Max scalded him and David half rolled his eyes, sensing one of Max’s boring speeches coming. ‘Paul and Star have always been mine, you all are, so you don’t have what you think is yours anyways. Lucy, however, is an interesting prospect and not one I was expecting. Well done.’ David’s lip curled, he had managed to capture his elder’s attention. ‘Now, the choice is yours.’ Max said holding up his left hand motioning towards Star. ‘Star or Paul?’ David raised his eyebrow but said nothing. ‘Who means more to you? Your brother or your wife?’ Motherfucker. Max was going to make him choose. ‘One for one.’

‘No,’ David shook his head, ‘Two for one. How much does she mean to you?’ David threw it back to him and he saw Max look at Lucy again. David knew he had Max this time, Lucy was a conquest Max had never been able to fulfill and he knew Max hated having something unfinished. Lucy was the missing diamond in Max’s crown and he could practically see Max’s mind ticking over.

‘No, you killed Sam and Michael.’

‘So? You got your own clan here now. Let me take mine and I’ll go, you’ll never see me again.’

‘No deal David, I want you back. You are older and wiser now and my new boys need a leader. That was always your forte. Besides, you have real family here now and you know how I feel about family.’

‘My boys and Star are my family Max. I don’t know him nor do I care if he is Sebastian’s grandson. Other than the man who was in bed with my wife, he is no one to me.’ David spoke seriously and Dwayne looked over at the boy, who was still nursing his slowly healing ribs, and snarled at him.

‘You are all family now David, and you better get used to it.’ Max shut him down. ‘You all have my blood running through your veins and there is nothing you can do about it.’

‘I’ve been doing fine without you for the past five years Max, my boys and I don’t need you.’ David spat back.

‘Yeah, you’ve been doing great. Tell me, have the investigators tracked the blood found in the parking lot back to Star yet?’ David glared at him. ‘I told you to turn her or kill her in the very beginning but you fucked up. I will be taking control of this pack again, David and if it takes Star being here with me to keep you in line, then so be it.’ Max stood up and walked towards him. ‘I will allow Paul to go with you and Lucy will stay with me.’ He said it like it was a done deal and this angered David. Max held out his hand to Lucy and flooded both Charlie and her with his influence in the process. ‘I will not hurt you. I would never hurt you.’ He told her and she left Charlie’s grasp and went to Max, burying herself under his arm and Paul stepped out from behind Max’s chair. David was now fuming, there was no way he was going to go through all this and not get Star back. Fuck that, he was going to get her back no matter what. While Max was distracted by Lucy, David took his chance and launched, flying towards Star, grabbing her and shooting out of the open doors of the balcony with full force. David didn’t know if he was being chased or even followed by his boys and nor did he care right now, he would disappear with just her if that’s what it took to be free of Max. He didn’t want to go back to Santa Carla or the cave, that would be the first place Max would look for him, so he headed inland initially thinking of Vegas but he quickly had second thoughts about that considering what had gone down there last time they had visited so he headed south. They needed to get lost in the masses within the City of Angels and find some anonymity and solace to work out where to from here. He felt Marko and Dwayne following him but he couldn’t sense Paul and now he wasn’t even sure if Paul would follow him. He knew Max would be busy with Lucy for a while and would probably send his new boys to track them, if he even felt so inclined. Flying close to Santa Carla, David flipped again and headed towards his home. He needed to put his plan into action sooner rather than later and he told Marko to go get his bike and pick Maria up. He arrived on the Bluff to find Dwayne and Charlie landing near him shortly after and Marko took off almost instantly to go get Maria. He looked over at Star, who had stepped away from him, and she was standing with her arms folded, watching Marko ride away. Paul landed shortly after, making David smile, and they walked down into the cave, spreading out around the couches, and relaxing but Charlie looked a little out of place amongst his other boys. In all honesty, David had exhausted his use for the boy and he was no longer interested in him. He contemplated setting him free out into the world but then he thought again knowing that Max would pick him up and he would end up just being another member of Max’s new pack and a pain in the ass for David so he knew he was going to have to kill him, lest he ingratiate him into the fold.

‘What the fuck was that about back there? Who were those guys?’ Charlie said looking a bit frantic. ‘They killed all my mates!’ David was definitely not in the mood to answer or placate this guy right now. ‘We gotta go back there…’

‘Calm your shit, guy. He is not someone you wanna fuck with. We won’t be going back there anytime soon.’ David said, not knowing if what he’d said was true or not but hoping Lucy would keep Max busy for at least a while, he had no immediate plans to ever return to Max’s hotel. He watched Charlie sit down next to Star and start talking to her and he picked up on how cautious she was being, Max was in her head and he didn’t know what he was going to do about it. It had taken him decades to develop his own path away from Max and she was in the thick of his influence right now. This was going to be problematic. He needed to keep her close and assert his own influence on her to keep her from going back to Max, but it was going to be a battle. David grabbed a beer and drank it. He couldn’t believe Max had found a family member of his, if he really was his great nephew. Why the fuck would he do that? What would he gain from doing that? Did Zac know? David didn’t think he looked like he did but one thing was for sure, Max had managed to fuck with David’s head far more than David was willing to admit and he was pissed.

'Star, come here.’ He told her and she instantly stood and went to him and her move settled his anxiety somewhat.

‘So, what’s the plan?’ Paul asked and David narrowed his eyes at his brother. Paul was in the same place Star was and he was going to have to deal with him too and try to counteract what Max had done. Fuck, sometimes he hated being the leader.

‘Wasn’t sure you were going to leave with us.’

‘Neither was I, but there was no way I was going to stick around once you’d taken off with her. All his rage would be taken out on me, even with Lucy there. Nice work, by the way.’ David smiled. Maybe Paul was going to be OK. He was stronger than Star and David knew Max would be more interested in using Star, David wasn’t in love with Paul. But, then again, Max would use anyone to get to David apparently.

‘Were you successful?’ David asked Dwayne and Dwayne nodded.

‘I’m half way there.’ David nodded slightly distracted. He was semi surprised, yet relieved that he hadn’t heard from Max. David was tired and had had enough of tonight, he needed a smoke and to chill out and forget about everything for a while. Paul had put on some music and was doing what he does best, rolling joints, with Dwayne sitting next to him. He looked back over at Charlie, who was sitting on his own glancing around the cave unsure of what he should do, until Paul threw an unlit joint his way and a beer and he seemed to settle a bit.

‘Is this where you guys live?’ He asked.

‘Yep, we’ll show you where you’re going to sleep later.’ David told him. He still wasn’t sure it was wise to stay in the cave but he wasn’t going to keep running from Max nor, was he going to give up his foot hold of Santa Carla.

‘Where’s Marko?’ Paul asked, finishing up a second joint and before David could answer, he looked over to the entrance to see Marko walking down into the cave followed closely by Maria and David smiled.

‘Ohhh… he comes bearing a gift.’ Paul called out and Maria stopped.

‘Shut up Paul.’ Marko told him and Paul looked down laughing picking up a lighter. ‘Come on, it’s alright,’ he said guiding her deeper into the room, ‘you know Paul and that’s Dwayne.’ Dwayne looked from David to Maria with his usual stoic expression but said nothing. ‘And this is…’

‘David.’ She finished his sentence. ‘I know who you are. Max has warned me about you, about all of you.’ Her comment made David smirk. Of course Max had warned her. ‘And you’re his girlfriend, right?’ Maria said to Star and Star nodded.

‘My wife.’ David corrected her and Maria looked at him.

‘Oh, you’re married? Wouldn’t have picked it.’ David was annoyed by her remark, if Maria couldn’t see they were married, no one else would either, but then again they hadn’t been married long. David was sensitive to everything at the moment.

‘And that’s… ahh… What’s your name?’ Marko went to introduce the new boy on the couch but he realised he didn’t know his name.

‘Charlie.’ He said and Marko nodded.

‘Yeah, Charlie.’ He said almost dismissively.

‘Sit down Maria, make yourself comfortable.’ David said to the girl, smiling, and she and Marko sat on the edge of the fountain. David watched her hold onto Marko and she trusted him. She was going to be an easy convert, he could feel it already.


	72. Where To From Here - Star's POV

Star stood there dumbfounded, looking at her once would be mother in law and disbelieving David had gone to such lengths. She had been crying and Star wondered what David had done to her.

‘Lucy, has he hurt you?’ Max asked her, sounding just as shocked as everyone else looked.

‘They killed Sam and Michael.’ Sam was dead as well. Sam, Michael, Laddie. Everybody who got near them was killed and her heart felt cold. She was now one of them and she looked down.

‘So this is how I figure it,’ she heard David’s velvet voice and she looked up, ‘you take her and I take Paul and Star back.’ She watched him lean forward and flick his cigarette out the open doors behind her and his crystal blue eyes found hers and she felt a flood of butterflies. ‘Let me take what’s mine and I’m gone.’

‘Oh David, forever the petulant teenager demanding to get what you want. Paul and Star have always been mine, you all are, so you don’t have what you think is yours anyways. Lucy, however, is an interesting prospect and not one I was expecting. Well done.’ She watched David’s reaction and saw he was proud of himself. ‘Now, the choice is yours.’ Max held his hand toward her, almost presenting her to David. ‘Star or Paul?’ Wait, what? She suddenly felt like a piece of meat and she wondered if Paul felt the same. She looked over to him but he kept his eyes on David and David raised his eyebrow and just looked at Max. ‘Who means more to you? Your brother or your wife?’ Oh God, he was going to make him choose. ‘One for one.’

‘No, two for one.’ David denied Max’s offer. ‘How much does she mean to you?’ Max hesitated before he answered and she looked at David then at Lucy again, realising they were all nothing but bargaining chips for these two to play with.

‘No, you killed Sam and Michael.’ She involuntarily closed her eyes to Michael’s name, not wanting to look at Lucy.

‘So? You got your own clan here now. Let me take mine and I’ll go, you’ll never see me again.’ David tried again but Max’s rebuttal was quick.

‘No deal David, I want you back. You are older and wiser now and my new boys need a leader. That was always your forte. Besides, you have real family here now and you know how I feel about family.’ So this was all about David, Max wanted David not her.

‘My boys and Star are my family, Max. I don’t know him nor do I care if he is Sebastian’s grandson. Other than the man who was in bed with my wife, he is no one to me.’ His comment made her feel guilty, even though she hadn’t done anything wrong with Zac. She looked to her left and Paul was glaring at her.

‘You are all family now, David, and you better get used to it.’ She looked at Mitch and Zac and the man holding Lucy and tried to gauge their reaction but they displayed nothing but a deep interest in what was going on. ‘You all have my blood running through your veins and there is nothing you can do about it.’

‘I’ve been doing fine without you for the past five years Max, my boys and I don’t need you.’ David retorted and she saw he was starting to lose his patience with this.

‘Yeah, you’ve been doing great. Tell me, have the investigators tracked the blood found in the parking lot back to Star yet?’ David glared at him. ‘I told you to turn her or kill her in the very beginning and you fucked up. I will be taking control of this pack again David and if it takes Star being here with me to keep you in line, then so be it.’ It suddenly dawned on her that this whole thing was her fault, totally her fault and she felt sick. The effects of her meeting Michael were still evident and more guilt washed over her. Her becoming involved with him had caused all of this and she wished she had died in the Emerson house. ‘I will allow Paul to go with you and Lucy will stay with me.’ She looked at David and he was furious and Max stood up and held out his hand to Lucy. ‘I will not hurt you. I would never hurt you.’ Max’s words left her cold, they were the same ones David had told her and she wondered if Max was lying like David did. Lucy went to Max and Paul moved out from behind Max’s chair and her chest froze in panic. They weren’t going to leave her here were they? Suddenly she saw David launch towards her, shoot her backwards and out of the balcony doors into the dark air. David held her tighter than what was comfortable for her and, as she looked up at him, her mind was flooded with his frantic internal voice which perplexed her. He was open to her and that had never happened between them before and she didn’t know how she was doing it until she clicked it was because she was now a fully turned vampire and he wasn’t blocking her at the moment. She heard him thinking of going to Vegas, then to LA but he decided to go back to Santa Carla to get his bike so she wasn’t surprised when David veered off towards the Bluff, but before they dropped out of the sky, Max’s domineering voice appeared in her head.

'Get back here Star, you don’t want me to come get you.’ It was a warning and she was scared. They landed on the cliff top and she stepped away from David, feeling anxious that she was betraying her maker, while Marko, Dwayne and the other boy landed nearby. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Marko jumped on his bike and took off and she watched him fishtail down the dirt road and disappear wondering where he’d been told to go. Paul landed soon after and David led them all down into the cave and Star sat uncomfortably on one of the couches and watched the boys lounge around as if nothing happened, except the new boy, who looked like he was waiting for someone to explain to him what was going on.

‘What the fuck was that about back there? Who were those guys? They killed all my mates!’ Charlie said and she looked at David. ‘We gotta go back there…’ She felt sorry for him because she knew the answer he sought would never be given to him by his maker, David had paid him no mind whatsoever until his outburst.

‘Calm your shit, guy. He is not someone you wanna fuck with. We won’t be going back there anytime soon.’ David spat without even looking at him and the new boy came and sat next to her on the couch. She was conflicted, she had wanted David to come and get her but now she was here, something wasn’t right and she looked over towards Paul and he looked as awkward as she felt. He shot her a quick glance then looked away, trying to reacclimate himself with his brothers.

‘Hi.’ Charlie said to her.

‘Hi.’ She looked sideways at him.

‘I’m Charlie.’ He introduced himself.

‘Hi Charlie.’ She said. ‘I’m Star.’

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her and she thought the question was strange coming from him. He was very different to the boys and she wondered how long David would keep him around for. She suspected not long.

‘Yeah.’ She nodded slightly.

‘You sure?’ He asked again. ‘You don’t look it.’ He’d noticed and it made her feel self-conscious. She needed to try and relax but she was struggling.

‘I’m OK.’ She reassured him. ‘You?’ She asked him and he looked around at the others nodding uncertainly but she didn’t believe him. She looked back at the boys and straight into David’s scrutinizing eyes but something within her had changed, she didn’t feel as connected to him anymore. Star, come here.’ David told her and she stood up and went to him, not because she felt compelled to but because she wanted to. She needed David right now and she was going to do anything he asked her to.

‘So, what’s the plan?’ Paul asked David as she walked behind him.

‘Wasn’t sure you were going to leave with us.’ David noted and she leaned against the wall and watched Paul’s reaction to the comment.

‘Neither was I,’ he said honestly, ‘but there was no way I was going to stick around once you’d taken off with her. All his rage would be taken out on me, even with Lucy there. Nice work, by the way.’ She saw David’s half smile as he turned to look at Dwayne.

‘Were you successful?’ David asked Dwayne and Dwayne nodded.

‘I’m half way there.’ She looked at Dwayne and wondered what David was planning. Something was going on and she felt anxious about David doing anything against Max, she felt in more of a precarious position than when she was just under David. She watched David open a beer and the other’s just sitting around acting as if nothing had happened, except Charlie who was looking from one of the boys to the other looking a little spellbound. Paul threw him a beer and a smoke and he took it and immediately opened the beer and skulled it.

‘Is this where you guys live?’ He asked, wiping his mouth.

‘Yep, we’ll show you where you’re going to sleep later.’ David said and she was surprised David was going to keep him around, at least for a while.

‘Where’s Marko?’ Paul asked. Yeah, where was Marko? She’d briefly forgotten that he’d left, then almost on que, Marko entered the cave, his arm steadying a female frame and she pushed off the wall not believing what she was seeing. It was Maria.

‘Ohhh… he comes bearing a gift.’ She heard Paul baiting Marko but she continued to watch Maria, who halted at Paul’s comment, and looked extremely nervous holding onto Marko’s arm.

‘Shut up Paul. Come on, it’s alright,’ Marko said to her and led her towards the group. ‘You know Paul and that’s Dwayne,’ he was introducing her to the boys, why was she meeting the boys? Something about this disturbed Star. ‘And this is…’

‘David. I know who you are. Max has warned me about you, about all of you.’ Maria interjected. This was wrong, she shouldn’t be here meeting the boys and Star knew it. Hell, Maria knew it. What was David doing? ‘And you’re his girlfriend, right?’ Maria spoke to her and Star nodded without saying anything.

‘My wife.’ David said, drawing the girl’s attention to him. Why did he have to say that every time? Did it matter whether Maria knew that or not?

‘Oh, you’re married? Wouldn’t have picked it.’ Maria said innocently but Star felt David’s annoyance from where she stood and, being in the volatile mood he was in, she wasn’t sure if he would ignore her or kill her.

‘And that’s… ahh… What’s your name?’ Marko asked Charlie.

‘Charlie.’ He answered.

‘Yeah, Charlie.’ Marko said semi rolling his eyes and Star knew they were not going to really accept Charlie.

‘Sit down Maria, make yourself comfortable.’ David said casually. Make yourself comfortable? Alarm bells went off again for Star, the last person who was told to make themselves comfortable in this room was torn apart and the one before that was turned. She watched Maria closely as she sat next to Marko and she tried to work out what was going on here. Max was going to be furious if David did what she thought he was maybe going to do.


	73. Step One - David's POV

David sat back, drank his beer and tried to clear his head from the bullshit Max had implanted in there. He couldn’t believe Max had done that, David had recognised a similarity to his brother once Max has said it but he wasn’t going to give Max the satisfaction of seeing he’d gotten to him and what he’d done had worked. Had Max tried to replace David with one of his family? Was Max that hung up on David being part of his pack that he would go to that extent? He watched Paul and Dwayne giving each other shit as they smoked, then Dwayne turned and passed the joint to David and he took it, inhaling as he looked over at Marko and Maria. They looked close, closer than what David was expecting and he wondered what Marko had told her to get her here. David knew Max would be fuming once he found out Marko and Maria were together under David and he knew he had to solidify her as a member as soon as possible so he got up and grabbed one of his bottles. He headed out the back and slit his wrist, watching the blood pour into the neck and fill the bottle with his essence and he smiled thinking about Max’s reaction to this. He’d play Max’s game just as well as he would. He came back out and walked over to Marko and handed him the bottle.

‘Enjoy.’ He slid his eyes over to Maria. ‘I’m sure you’ll like it.’ She awkwardly smiled at him and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Star head off towards her space and he quickly grabbed her arm. ‘Uh-Uh, you’re coming with me.’ He said to her and she looked back at him with a tinge of fear in her eyes. He pulled her along with him as he went out the back towards their side room.

‘David.’ She tried to pull out of his grasp, ‘David, I don’t want to tonight.’ He ignored her protests and only let her go once they were inside the small cavern. He didn’t care what she wanted right now, he was more interested in what had happened with Max, what he’d said and done and how he’d made her turn. David knew Max all too well and he knew this would just be the beginning for him, he’d already got to some extreme lengths that had, in all honesty, shocked David and now he had to try and anticipate what Max was going to do next. There was no way David was going to go back under Max’s rule again. He began to undress, throwing his jackets on the floor then he sat on the bed and took one of his boots off.

‘Have you heard from Max?’ He asked her and when he got no reply, he stopped what he was doing and looked up at her to see her apprehension in answering him.

‘Yes.’ She finally admitted.

‘What’d he say?’

‘He wants me to go back or he’s going to come get me.’ She told him.

‘Yeah…’ He snorted at Max’s audacity as he dropped his other boot onto the floor. Max had about as much chance of Star going back there as he did David. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’

‘What does he want me for?’ Her voice was shaky when she spoke and David could tell Max had scared her.

‘It’s not you he wants, it’s me.’ David had a headache and he ran his hand through his spikes. David never let anyone or anything get to him, if anyone ever did he would just kill them. Except, it seemed, for Max. Max always managed to penetrate David’s rough exterior and hit him where it hurt… and so did Star. He looked up at her.

‘David, I’m scared. I don’t want Max…’

‘Don’t be.’ He shut her down. He didn’t want to hear that right now. ‘You’re back with me.’ He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. ‘I want you to tell me everything he says to you.’ She looked like the young vulnerable teenager again, the one he’d found at a concert so many years ago who was scared and hurt and who he’d wanted to protect. So much had happened since then.

‘Will he come here?’ She asked him and he shook his head.

‘He won’t come here. He’ll send his plebs here but he’ll be too hooked up with that Emerson bitch to come himself.’ He picked up his large jacket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, chucking them on the bed beside him.

‘Did you kill Sammy?’ Sammy. He snarled at the word. The way she referred to the snotty kid instantly annoyed him and reminded him of the relationship she must have developed with him when she was with Michael. When she thought he was dead and she just moved on with her life. It was a bad time to bring that up.

‘Dwayne did. The kid stabbed him in the chest with a butcher’s knife.’ He spat the words out like they were venom and he could see her reaction to them. She slowly sat on the bed next to him and he was beginning to regret bringing her in here but with Maria here, she had nowhere else to go.

‘Why is Maria here?’ He looked at her as if she’d read his mind.

‘We’re adding to the group. It’s nothing for you to worry about.’ He didn’t want to talk about it right now, he was getting to the point where he didn’t want to talk at all.

‘Why Maria though?’

‘Don’t worry about it Star.’ He wanted to forget about what had happened and he pulled her on top of him as he lay back but she was instantly pulling away from him.

‘David, I can’t.’ He grabbed her more forcefully and made her kiss him and she did but he felt her reluctance and, knowing it was because of Max, he pushed her away and eyeballed her. He sensed her uneasiness and wondered if her first kill had been the last feed she’d had.

‘When was the last time you fed?’ She instantly averted her eyes and he knew something was wrong. She would just tell him if it was just her first so when was her last meal? And then it hit him, she’d fed from Max. ‘Fucker.’ That’s what was wrong with her. ‘How many times?’ He demanded and she looked scared. ‘How many times have you fed from him?’ This was another way Max had fucked with David.

‘I don’t know, maybe twice?’ She stumbled on her words and he put his hand to his head. His headache was back.

‘Regardless of what Max has done to you, you’re still mine. You and Paul, you belong with me.’ He watched her nod but something was amiss. He needed to flood her with his blood until she was fully his again, and Paul would be even worse. ‘You will feed from me until I say otherwise. Got it?’ She averted her eyes and he wasn’t having it. He grabbed her face hard and forced her to look at him. ‘Got it!’

‘Yes.’ He didn’t even want to make out with her anymore, he wanted a cigarette. He sat up pushing her up with him and picked up his packet of cigarettes.

‘Ugh, I’ve had enough of him tonight.’ He dismissed the thoughts of Max and sparked up, inhaling the familiar taste which almost instantly made him feel better.

‘You’re staying in here with me now. Maria will take your bed until she has turned.’ He knew he had to keep her close right now but he really didn’t want to sleep in here. He needed his space, which made him think of how crowded this cave was going to get once Maria and Kelly and whoever Paul found were all living here too. He suddenly picked up on Star’s thoughts and she was wondering why David wasn’t backing off now she was a vampire.

‘Because you turned under Max, not me.’ But even if she had turned under him, he wasn’t sure he’d ever really lay off her. Every time he did that, she seemed to be in bed with some other guy.

‘So did Dwayne and Paul and you let them alone.’ She argued her point not knowing she was wrong and that her point didn’t matter to him anyways.

‘Dwayne turned three quarters of a century ago and Paul is under me actually.’ He gave her a very limited history lesson.

‘What about Maria? Will she be under Marko?’ She asked.

‘No, she’ll be under me, but you will be helping her with her transition.’ Now that Star was turned, it would make things so much easier for Maria. It was funny, he wanted Maria to help Star turn and now Star would be helping Maria.

‘Zac is related to you, isn’t he?’ She asked as he lit and inhaled his smoke. Her thoughts were all over the place and even he was having trouble keeping up with her.

‘I don’t know. Probably, it is something Max would do just to fuck with me.’ Zac. Was he really Sebastian’s grandson? Sebastian had been David’s little brother by eighteen months and David had never known Sebastian as an adult as David had disappeared when Sebastian was sixteen. Zac looked about nineteen or twenty, but David could still see some similarities to his brother he supposed. What a fucked up thing to do. Max was a cunt.

‘He looks like you and he has the same mannerisms as you.’ He turned to see her studying him. How much time had she spent with him? Enough for him to feel OK about being in the same bed as her apparently.

‘Is that why you liked him?’ He watched her face flush and he knew there was some truth in what he’d said and it fucked him off. He would kill Zac for both Max and Star.

‘David, he could read my mind, like before I had turned, he could get in my head.’ Her admission had thrown him.

‘Could he now?’ What had Max done with this kid? How long had he been with him? This added an unknown dynamic to the Zac situation which almost would have intrigued David had he not been so pissed off and exhausted. He didn’t want to talk or think about Zac anymore. She had turned, Star had finally turned. They could hunt together and be together forever and, despite everything, he’d gotten what he’d wanted all along. He wanted to know every detail about it all.

‘Where did you turn?’ He asked. ‘Was it at Max’s?’ She shook her head, looking rather uncomfortable. ‘Where was it? Tell me about it.’ He played with his cigarette.

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ He heard her say. He looked up at her and alarm bells started ringing for him.

‘Star…’ He compelled her to answer him but she still hesitated. Fucking Max.

‘I was out.’ She finally told him and he tilted his head.

‘Where?’ He asked suspiciously. ‘It was a couple of nights ago when you called for me, wasn’t it?’ It suddenly clicked for him. He had never heard her scream like that and he knew something major had happened. What the fuck did Max make her do? ‘Where?’ He really wanted to know now.

‘I was in San Francisco… In a club in San Francisco.’ In a fucking club? He couldn’t reconcile what she was telling him to match what he knew Max to do. He wouldn’t be caught dead in a club.

‘Max had you kill in public?’ He spoke between gritted teeth. Why the fuck would Max do that?

‘Max wasn’t there.’ Wait, what?

‘Who were you with?’ He asked, knowing Max wouldn’t let her be out alone. He would only let a newbie be with someone he truly trusted so who was it?

‘Those other boys, they’d taken me out after…’ She trailed off.

‘After…?’ After what? She was taking too long to tell him and he was on the verge of exploding.

‘After they’d given me Max’s blood.’

‘So, gave you Max’s blood, took you to a club and let you loose?’ David clarified and she nodded. David let his hand drop onto his knee and he looked away, disbelieving Max had done this to her. He had always been the one saying how difficult females were when the turned and then he just lets her attack in a fucking club? Was that his plan? To let her go feral? ‘Was Max in your head?’ He looked back at her. ‘When you killed, was he guiding you?’

‘Yes. I didn’t want to but I couldn’t help it.’ She described how she had turned, and he listened, but he found he wasn’t getting the enjoyment or the satisfaction from hearing about. He wasn’t there and he hadn’t experienced it with her, see her succumb to the beast and watched her take her first life. Max had deprived him of that and he was jealous that his new boys had been with her instead, that Zac had been there and not David. He and his boys would have taken care of her and celebrated with her but instead she had bolted to a beach alone and screamed for him after the fact only to have Zac conveniently show up. David knew the way he was feeling right now was part of what Max had wanted, but most of all he wanted Star to turn under him. Max knew that would be the ultimate lure to get David back. Star had always been a lure for David’s prey and now she was being used as the lure for David himself. He looked over at her and she looked as exhausted as he felt and he placed his arms around her and she folded into his embrace. He just held her tight to him and said nothing, as pissed off as he was, he knew this was what she needed. He was expecting her to help Maria through her transition yet she hadn’t even gotten through hers yet and she needed him. Max had just left her to get through it on her own… or with Zac. Did Max think he could get her to be with Zac? That would be the ultimate betrayal and David realised Max had become even more sadistic if that was the case. Well David had her back now and Max had nothing he would go back there for. Now not just the cave, but the whole town of Santa Carla was suddenly feeling too small and far too close to San Francisco for David’s comfort and the he began thinking that the living arrangements were going to have to change. He lay back on the bed and she curled up under his arm. He hadn’t felt so needed by her since they first got together and the responsibility he had in guiding her reminded him of when Marko had turned. He hoped Marko was ready for this with Maria, he should have turned Kelly first but Dwayne hadn’t found her so Maria would have to do for now. Max wanted to play games? Well, let’s see how he likes this one.


	74. Step One - Star's POV

The boys all sat around and talked and smoked and laughed but no one mentioned what had happened, not verbally anyways, nor were they even addressing Maria but both were like the white elephant in the room. Star stood by David and watched the raven haired girl and, although she looked awkward, she kind of looked comfortable with Marko. Like she belonged with him and Marko looked rather protective of her and the scene reminded her of David and herself. David got up from his chair, grabbed one of his bottles and walked out the back and Star instantly felt sick. She knew what that meant and, looking over at Dwayne she received just a blank look and then she glanced at Paul and his look was as blank as Dwayne’s. Oh God, David was going to turn her. But why? She looked over at Marko and he gave her a smug superior, knowing smirk and he interlinked his fingers with Maria’s as David re appeared with the bottle and he handed it to him.

‘Enjoy. I’m sure you’ll like it.’ David told Maria and she nervously smiled at him. Star didn’t like any of this and decided she wasn’t going to be part of it so she went to walk over to her bed and exclude herself from the situation but David grabbed her arm and stopped her. ‘Uh-uh, you’re coming with me.’ He said to her and she turned to him as he pulled her with him towards their room.

‘David.’ She tried to say but he ignored her and pulled her into the room. ‘David, I don’t want to tonight.’ She stammered, slightly panicked, but to no avail, David wasn’t listening to her. He took off his jackets and sat on the bed and began to take off his boots.

‘Have you heard from Max?’ His question threw her a little and she didn’t know what to say and she hesitated, making him stop and look at her.

‘Yes.’ She couldn’t lie to him.

‘What’d he say?’ He asked, almost casually.

‘He wants me to go back or he’s going to come get me.’ She said honestly.

‘Yeah…’ David took off his other boot and dropped it on the floor. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’ It was an order.

‘What does he want me for?’ She asked.

‘It’s not you he wants, it’s me.’ She watched him run his hand through his hair. He looked tired.

‘David, I’m scared.’ She admitted to him. ‘I don’t want Max…’

‘Don’t be.’ He cut her off and leaned forward and pulled her hand towards him. ‘You’re back with me. I want you to tell me everything he says to you.’

‘Will he come here?’ She asked, genuinely concerned. Max’s power really scared her, she could see how much more control and influence he has than David.

‘He won’t come here. He’ll send his plebs here but he’ll be too hooked up with that Emerson bitch to come here himself.’ He pulled out his cigarettes from his jacket pocket and threw them on the bed beside him.

‘Did you kill Sammy?’ He glared at her and her chest sunk.

‘Dwayne did. The kid stabbed him in the chest with a butcher’s knife.’ David all but spat back at her. Oh God, what the hell had happened?

‘Why is Maria here?’ She asked him carefully after she sat on the bed next to him.

‘We’re adding to the group.’ He said. ‘It’s nothing for you to worry about.’ He sounded like it was something he didn’t want to talk about, which worried her.

‘Why Maria though?’ She pressed. Another male she could understand but another female? David could barely cope with her being around.

‘Don’t worry about it Star.’ He shut her down and she dropped it the he suddenly pulled her on top of him as he lay back on the bed and her anxiety peaked.

‘David, I can’t.’ She said pulling away but he wouldn’t let her and he grabbed her by the back of her head and forced her to kiss him. She felt internally conflicted though, she was still angry with him for what he’d done to her but her need for his help and protection was paramount right now yet Max’s influence was still so strong on her. She kissed David back but he stopped, pulling away from her and he looked at her. This whole thing was becoming too much.

‘When was the last time you fed?’ She looked down, not wanting to look him in the eye lest he know it was Max’s blood she’d dined on but it was too late. ‘Fucker.’ He exhaled and she looked up. ‘How many times?’How many times have you fed from him?’ He demanded.

‘I don’t know, maybe twice?’ She couldn’t remember. Why couldn’t she remember?

‘Regardless of what Max has done to you, you’re still mine. You and Paul, you belong with me.’ She knew it was true but she didn’t feel it any longer, especially with the discord between Max and David. She almost felt her loyalty was with Max now. ‘You’ll feed from me until I say otherwise. Got it?’ Star flicked her eyes away and David grabbed her face, making her look back at him. ‘Got it!’ He demanded.

‘Yes.’ She replied. She would abide by his directive, all his directives, she couldn’t afford to have two head vampires angry with her. He pushed her off him and sat up, grabbing his cigarettes.

‘Ugh. I’ve had enough of him tonight.’ He inhaled smoke from his freshly lit stick. ‘You’re staying in here with me now. Maria will take your bed until she has turned.’ She wanted space to think about everything, the last thing she wanted was to lose her minimal independence from him and to be under his thumb nightly, but she had no choice. She didn’t understand, she had turned now, wasn’t that what he’d wanted all along? Why wasn’t he laying off her?

‘Because you turned under Max, not me.’ He answered her.

‘So did Dwayne and Paul and you let them alone.’ She tried to reason with him.

‘Dwayne was turned over half a century ago and Paul is under me actually.’ This surprised her.

‘What about Maria? Will she be under Marko?’ She asked.

‘No, she’ll be under me but you will be helping her with her transition.’ She began thinking of Max’s other boys that she’d met and what they’d said about it being forbidden for anyone other than Max to turn anyone. Everything David was doing was to antagonize Max, it always had been. But then Max had turned Zac to antagonize David so it was tit for tat. She wondered how long it had been like this between them.

‘Zac is related to you, isn’t he?’ She asked and he exhaled more smoke.

‘I don’t know. Probably, it is something Max would do to fuck with me.’ She looked at him and she could see the similarities between the two of them even more now. She knew it was true.

‘He looks like you and he has the same mannerisms as you.’ He turned his head to look at her.

‘Is that why you liked him?’ He probed and she blushed slightly, there had been something about him she had liked. He scrutinized her with a dead pan expression.

‘David, he could read my mind.’ He continued to listen to her. ‘Like before I had turned, he could get in my head.’

‘Could he now?’ David paused before he spoke again an she saw David’s expression change at this and wondered what it meant.

‘Where did you turn?’ He asked, inhaling more smoke. His question scared her, Paul’s reaction has been less than favourable when she’d told him and she could only imagine how David was going to react. ‘Was it at Max’s?’ She shook her head. She wanted to lie to him but he would know and it would only make it worse. ‘Where was it? Tell me about it.’

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ She said quietly.

‘Star.’ He said and, although she felt his compelling undertones, she didn’t actually feel compelled to tell him and again she hesitated.

‘I was out.’ She said after a minute and he looked sideways at her.

‘Where? It was a couple of nights ago, when you called for me, wasn’t it?’ He asked and she nodded. ‘Where?’ His tone was now serious.

‘I was in San Francisco… In a club in San Francisco.’ David’s face darkened and she felt sick and instantly regretted telling him.

‘Max had you kill in public?’ He asked, his voice sounded calm but barely controlled at the same time.

‘Max wasn’t there.’

‘Who were you with?’ He asked, glaring at her.

‘Those other boys, they’d taken me out after…’ She trailed off.

‘After…?’ He prompted her to continue and she closed her eyes.

‘After they’d given me Max’s blood.’ Suddenly she was feeling compelled to answer him, believing she’d done something wrong.

‘So, they gave you Max’s blood, took you to a club and let you loose?’ She silently nodded and she opened her eyes to see David look away. ‘Was Max in your head?’ He looked back at her. ‘When you killed, was he guiding you?’

‘Yes.’ Her voice was barely audible. ‘I didn’t want to but I couldn’t help it. I was dancing with a guy and they were watching me and I felt so powerful under Max’s influence. Then he was in my head, telling me over and over again to do it and he wouldn’t stop.’ She could feel tears forming. ‘The next thing I knew, I had his blood in my mouth and he was slumped in my arms and I didn’t know what to do so I walked him over to a booth in the back and let him slide under the table.’

‘Did anyone see you?’ He asked and she couldn’t remember. Had anyone seen her? Oh God, someone must have seen her. Someone would have found the body and the bouncer definitely saw her gap it out of there with blood on her.

‘I don’t remember. All I know is I turned around and saw all of those other guys watching me smiling and I bolted. I flew down to some bay south of San Francisco and I called for you but Zac came instead.’ She looked at him and he seemed like he was a million miles away and barely listening to her when he took her in his arms and he held onto her. She suddenly felt dead tired and she wondered what time it was and she stopped talking and he lay back on the bed and she just lay with him. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe that David was with her.


	75. Just the Beginning - David's POV

David had rested comfortably with Paul and Star back, there was no taunting from Max and he had slept well with the knowledge that no one would be coming during the day. He knew Marko had been successful with Maria last night, he could feel it as soon as he woke up, and he wondered how long it would take for her to turn. As he went to move, he saw his girl’s large almond shaped eyes open and glide up towards him. She had an added element of beauty for him now she had turned and he stopped to look at her for a second before he got up. He wanted to take the time do more with her but after last night he knew she wouldn’t and he didn’t have the time for the fight, he needed to see what state Maria was in. He got dressed and walked out into the main cave, with Star following him out shortly after, to see Marko sitting on Star’s bed while Maria was still lying on her bed. Neither of them looked like they’d had any sleep and David couldn’t help but smile at him and Maria sat up quickly. He spotted Charlie waking up on Laddie’s old bed and David heard the rain pelting down on the rocks outside, which dampened his plans for the evening, when suddenly Dwayne came down the entrance all wet. David’s look said just as much as his words would have.

‘It’s Paul. He’s up on the cliff freaking out. He won’t come in.’

‘What’d he take?’ Dwayne shook his head and David’s eyebrows creased. ‘How long’s he been out there?’

‘I don’t know, he’s been up and fidgeting all day and when I finally did sleep, he was gone when I woke. He’s fucked up man.’

‘You guys sleep together?’ Maria laughed. ‘Are you…?’ She stopped once she realised everyone was glaring at her and, in that moment, David wanted her gone. David jumped out of the entrance and into the rain drops to find Paul pacing back and forth along the edge of the cliff mumbling to himself.

‘Paul.’ David tried to get his attention but Paul didn’t hear him, or if he did, he didn’t respond. ‘Paul!’ David yelled at him and Paul stopped and looked at him as if he didn’t know he was there. ‘The fuck are you doing?’

‘I gotta go back man. He’s been in my head all fucking day and he’s gonna be there until I go back. He wants me to bring Star back and if I don’t he’s gonna kill me. I gotta go back and so do you.’ Paul was raving, he obviously hadn’t slept at all and Max had him on the verge of being manic.

‘Fuck off. Come inside and we’ll have a smoke and chill you the fuck out.’

‘No, I can’t. We gotta go.’ He panicked and backed away.

Paul, what the fuck did I just say? Fuck him. Just come down and I’ll sort it. You know how much I fucking hate being in the rain.’ David winced looking up at the sky and Paul just looked at him.

‘But…’

‘Seriously, leave Max to me. It’s me he wants, right? Come on.’ Paul was finally listening to him.

‘Yeah… I need a smoke.’ Paul said as he walked past David and headed back down into the cave. David stood there, soaking wet and wiped the water from his face in a vain attempt to shake off what Max had done to his brother, only to be covered in rain again. He walked down into the cave again and Paul was sat next to Dwayne watching him roll up. Marko and Maria sat together on the other couch while Star had perched herself on the edge of the fountain.

‘Oh my God!’ Maria suddenly jumped up looking at her phone. ‘I’ve gotta go! I was supposed to be at work hours ago!’ David regarded Marko. ‘Will you take me home? I have to get changed.’ She asked Marko.

‘Just blow it off. Stay here with me.’ He took her hand.

‘I can’t. Max will be so angry, the store will have been closed all day. I can’t believe I slept all day…’ The room went quiet and everyone looked at her. 

‘Wait, you still work for Max?’ David asked her and she nodded.

‘Yeah, even though he now lives in San Francisco, he’s has left me in charge of Santa Carla.’ David let out a low chuckle, this couldn’t be more perfect.

‘The girl has to go to work Marko. Drop her off.’ Marko looked at him and silently asked him if Max would know.

‘Of course he will. GO!’ David silently ordered him and Marko looked back at the girl.

‘You know what, don’t take me home, will you just take me straight to work? Please?’

‘Sure, but you are going to be soaked, look at these two,’ he said motioning to David and Paul, ‘I have a car parked down near the Capri. It’s closer than your place. You can take a quick shower and I will pick you up something to wear. Then I will drive you to work. Ok?’ She looked at her phone.

‘I really don’t have time. He has been calling me but my phone was on silent.’

‘You don’t have a choice.’ David barked at her and for the first time she looked scared of him.

‘David, I want a shower too. Could you take me down there as well and I will stay with Maria until Marko gets back with the car.’ David glared at her. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight or going anywhere in this shitty weather but what she’d proposed had made Maria lighten and he saw an opportunity for the girls to do a little bonding.

‘Fuck… come on.’ David relented and the other two stood up while Star went to grab her jacket.

‘I’ll be back soon.’ David told the boys. ‘Keep him here.’ David projected to Dwayne and Dwayne raised his eyebrow at him.

‘How?’ He projected back.

‘I don’t know. Even if you have to keep him smoking. I don’t give a fuck. Just keep him here.’ David ushered Star out before him and they skipped up the wet stairway. David saw Maria slip and nearly lose her balance and Marko catch her and he saw that Marko actually cared about her. They were all drenched before they’d even got to the bikes and by the time they made it to the motel, they looked like Titanic victims and David was mighty pissed off. He stormed into the reception, compelled a room key out of the lady and led the other three to room 14. He opened the door and the girls walked inside but David held Marko back. ‘Don’t be long.’ Marko nodded. ‘And bring Star back with you.’ Marko slightly snarled. ‘Do as I fucking say Marko.’

‘I’m not leaving my bike here.’ David let out a frustrated sigh.

‘Well, then she’s on the back of your bike then.’ David turned and walked back to his bike in even more of a feral mood than he was already. David rode the long way back to the cave, scoping the streets for someone to take his frustrations out on and he came across a large burly guy who he knew would put up a fight. He didn’t want this to be easy, he wanted a challenge and he found it in this guy. He tried everything to keep David at bay, he kicked and fought and pulled a switchblade all of which made the hunt more enjoyable for David. He felt his stress relieved after his kill and he took a leisurely ride back to the cave and when he walked in, Paul, Dwayne and Charlie were gone so he sat in his chair and had a cigarette. 

‘Where are you?’ He projected to Dwayne but he got no answer. He flicked on some music, sparked a cigarette and sat back and began to actually think about everything with a little distance on it but before he could even finish his cancer stick, the boys came clambering down shaking the water droplets from their hair and clothing.

‘Where the fuck have you guys been?’ David demanded. Dwayne and Paul ignored David’s mood, they were used to it, but Charlie was taken back by his harsh tone and he slowed his stride.

‘Hunting!’ Paul said with a grin, pulling out a laptop from a backpack he’d stolen. ‘It’s movie time!’

‘What?’ David said as he watched Paul pull out a mini projector and connect it to the laptop and fire it up. As well as being an accomplished dancer, Paul also had a brain for electronics, which David found astounding as Paul’s brain was constantly so fried, he technically shouldn’t be able to tie a pair of shoelaces.

‘Marko not back yet?’ Dwayne asked.

‘No, you guys see him out?’ David responded and Dwayne shook his head.

‘We weren’t on the Boardwalk.’

‘Well, he’s gonna miss out. Once the battery is dead, so is the laptop.’ Paul said and he turned his head to the entrance as they heard the rain get heavier outside. ‘Told you fuckers it was gonna come down again.’

‘Where’d you get all this shit?’ David got Paul’s attention again.

‘This isn’t shit bro, this is cool. Check this out.’ Paul said, flicking the projector on and aligning the light square onto the wall in front of them. He tapped on the keyboard and The Silence of the Lambs began.

‘Yeah…’ Both Dwayne and Charlie said in unison and the boys all sat back, full of their recent meals, and got comfortable. David found the movie a pleasant distraction and he got sucked into the moving images in the darkness when Marko and Star came down into the cave.

‘Fuck, this is mint.’ Marko took his jacket off and plonked himself down on the couch while David looked over at Star, who was now dressed in blue jeans and a fitted shirt under a long dark brown tailored leather jacket. It wasn’t something he had ever imagined her wearing but she looked modern and hot. She was holding a bag stuffed full of clothing and he looked her up and down carefully, interested in the fact it was Paul and Star who had come back with more stuff and it had been those two to have spent time with Max. Her eyes found his and she abruptly walked out the back and into their room and he was thrown by her dismissive action. She appeared again soon enough and the waft of a floral scent that came with her was undeniable. She went and sat down on the end of the couch adjacent to him, keeping her eyes focussed on the screen. He, however, kept his eyes on her, and his eyes followed her shapely figure in the shirt and jeans and he wondered what else she had in the bag she’d brought in and he hoped she’d picked up some sexy lingerie for him. Suddenly she looked over at him.

‘I had to get changed, Max put me in that dress.’ She told him and that didn’t surprise David.

‘Shuddup… If you two are gonna spit at each other, go somewhere else. I’m watching this.’ Paul interrupted them and David looked sideways at the audacity Paul was showing to tell him what to do. He didn’t get so much as a look from Paul and David let it go and rolled his eyes back to Star and motioned her to follow him. He got up and led her into their room and, unable to help himself, he turned and grabbed her, instantly kissing her like she held the essence of life within her. He felt intensely attracted to her and he wanted to consume her and she returned his kiss, which only made him want her more. He stopped kissing her and held her head to his and he breathed in her perfume and she was almost intoxicating for him. Her confidence, her style and her finally being turned had him hooked and he lifted his head and looked at her.

‘You smell amazing and you look even better.’ He said and he saw her smile the sweetest smile he’d seen from in a long time. He knew now would be a perfect time for her to feed from him so he raised his hand to open a vein in his wrist but she lowered his hand with hers and he was surprised by her action. She moved towards him and placed her hands on his shoulders and he was unsure what she was doing. He felt her hand slide into his hair and with the look on her face, he thought she was trying to seduce him and feeling the way he was right now, that wasn’t going to be difficult. Her hand slid from the nape of his neck down along his neck and she moved his jacket collar so his neck was more exposed and she leaned in and gently kissed him. She kissed him again and he felt the tip of her tongue slide along his neck and he was ready to get naked with her when he felt the sharp prick of twin blades enter his throat and his skin tear as she opened the wounds up further. The pornographic nature of the way she was feeding from him had him as putty in her hands and he couldn’t differentiate between her feeding from him to her fucking him, they both felt as sensual and intimate as each other. As she drank more, the feeling only intensified and he was on the verge of cumming in his pants when she suddenly pulled away from him, leaving him on the edge. He was about as vulnerable as he’d ever been and he couldn’t quite formulate any lucid thoughts other than that he wanted her more. Star being a fully turned vampire held far deeper aspects than he even knew and it suited him down to the ground.

‘That was incredible.’ He said, feeling like he’d taken one of Paul’s ecstasy tablets and his body was made of velvet. The effect of her drinking from him was positively orgasmic and in his hundred or so years, he’d never felt anything like it.

‘Good. I’m glad you enjoyed it.’ Her fingertip grazed his cheek sending tingles through his skin. ‘Shall we go watch the rest of the movie?’ She asked.

‘Mmmm if we have to.’ He shook his head back to reality. His hard on was screaming in his pants and all he wanted to do was get those jeans off, pick her up and slide her on top of him. He was dying to relieve his urge for her but he refrained, re adjusted and he followed her back out to the cave. He sat down and picked up his cigarettes, tapping one out and lighting it, still overwhelmed by what he’d just experienced. Was this another reason why Max steered him and the boys away from turning a woman? He knew the power and influence a female vampire had and that he’d lose David to her. Well, right now David was lost and loving every minute of it. Turning Maria had larger ramifications now David saw the effect Star had and he wondered if Marko having that done to him would be a positive or negative thing but he knew his brother and could see he was half way there already. But David also knew that Max would know she was a half under him and if he didn’t turn her as soon as possible, Max would and David would lose Marko.

‘What time are you picking Maria up?’ David asked Marko.

‘I’m not, she’s going home tonight.’ Marko said, trying not to show his disappointment and David looked at him.

‘Was Max there?’ David asked and Marko nodded.

‘He didn’t see me though.’

‘Don’t lose her.’ David said seriously. David felt a new urgency to turn her and it was going to happen tomorrow night. David looked over at Star and she was now looking like he’d felt five minutes ago and he smiled. He had just as big an effect on her as she did on him.


	76. Just the Beginning - Star's POV

Star had woken up beneath a man’s arm for the second time in two days and she lay there with her eyes still closed thinking about David and what else he had planned. Maria’s presence had thrown her, who else was he planning to have join them? She felt him move and she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He held her gaze for almost an uncomfortable amount of time for her and her heart beat sickeningly in a semi fear that he would try and do something with her again but he got up and got dressed instead. She got up after him and followed him out into the main cave and she instantly saw Marko and Maria on her bed and she halted. She imagined Marko having sex in her bed and she was disgusted, her bed was no longer hers anymore and her heart sank with that knowledge. Dwayne appeared down the entrance dripping wet and David and Star turned to look at him in unison.

‘It’s Paul. He’s up on the cliff freaking out. He won’t come in.’

‘What’d he take?’ Dwayne shook his head and Star was confused. ‘How long’s he been out there?’ David asked, sounding a little concerned.

‘I don’t know, he’s been up and fidgeting all day and when I finally did sleep, he was gone when I woke. He’s fucked up man.’ Something was very wrong, this was way out of character for Paul, even if he had taken something.

‘You guys sleep together? Are you…?’ Star turned to see Maria’s smile fading from her face when she saw the reaction she was getting from the boys. Her timing couldn’t have been worse and Star knew she was probably going to pay in some way or another for her careless comment. Star could feel the heat coming from David’s stare on the poor girl from where she stood. David looked back to Dwayne, then he bolted out of the cave and Dwayne leaned over and gave Maria one of his most brutal looks.

‘Do I look fucking gay to you?’ Maria shook her head and held onto Marko’s arm a little tighter. Charlie was sitting on Laddie’s old bed quietly observing everything that was going on and Star glanced over at him and again she felt a level of empathy for him, he was in way over his head and the boys were doing nothing to help him with it. They were more accommodating of Michael even but she knew that was probably because of Max. Dwayne sat on the couch and lit a cigarette, water still rolling off his muscular chest, and Marko pulled Maria with him to sit on the couch opposite him.

‘Did you hear him last night?’ Dwayne asked him.

‘No, I was…busy.’ Marko smiled but the only smile reciprocated to him was from Maria.

‘I did.’ Charlie said and Dwayne looked at him as if he’d forgotten he was there. Star walked over to her bed to look for a change of clothing but she had nothing and she was annoyed. She was determined to get herself some clothing that she wanted to wear and that she felt comfortable in, not clothes that either Max nor David wanted her in. She put her jacket on to cover the stains on her dress and leaned against the side of the fountain when Paul came blustering in looking like a drowned rat, his scraggly hair stuck to his face. He walked straight over to Dwayne and Dwayne immediately began rolling a big fat joint. Paul looked up at Star and she was moderately shocked, he looked like shit.

‘Did you hear from Max?’ Paul projected to her and she shook her head and he looked down and put his head in his hands. Oh God, Max had done this to him. She now felt more than a little sick when David trudged back into the cave drenched and very pissed off.

‘Oh my God! I’ve gotta go! I was supposed to be at work hours ago, will you take me home? I have to get changed.’ Star watched Maria stand up and she flicked her eyes over to David, who stood there dead still and looking very much less tolerant of Maria already.

‘Just blow it off. Stay here with me.’ Marko told Maria what to do in much the same way David did to her back in the beginning.

‘I can’t. Max will be so angry, the store will have been closed all day. I can’t believe I slept all day…’ Star’s mouth dropped a little. Max? She still worked for Max? She looked over at Paul and he couldn’t believe what she’d said either. 

‘Wait, you still work for Max?’ Star was surprised David didn’t already know and the smirk across his face once he got her confirmation to his question made Star feel faint. Maria had always been one of Max’s girls, off limits to David and his boys, and Star had figured Maria and Max must have parted ways for Marko to be seeing her. This was way too close for comfort for Star, and by the look on his face, for Paul too. He actually began to look a bit grey.

‘The girl has to go to work Marko. Drop her off.’ David announced and Marko shot him a look that Star couldn’t see.

‘You know what, don’t take me home, will you just take me straight to work? Please?’ Maria was beginning to panic.

‘Sure, but you are going to be soaked, look at these two. I have a car parked down near the Capri, it’s closer than your place. You can take a quick shower and I will pick you up something to wear. Then I will drive you to work. Ok?’ Marko reasoned with her and again his gesture was reminiscent of David circa 1986. She felt like she was watching her life play out in front of her only with different actors.

‘I really don’t have time. He has been calling me but my phone was on silent.’ She looked at her phone and Star eyed it jealously but knew neither Marko nor David were going to let her keep it. Star longed for her phone, longed for some freedom and autonomy to do what she wanted to do. She watched Marko and she saw his need to have dominance and control over the girl just like his foreboding mentor standing next to him.

‘You don’t have a choice.’ David blasted her and Star saw her jump. She was scared and intimidated by him and it was exactly what David wanted. Suddenly Star saw her opportunity to get out of here for a bit and to maybe talk to Maria.

‘David, I want a shower too. Could you take me down there as well and I will stay with Maria until Marko gets back with the car.’ She said, knowing that David wouldn’t want Maria left anywhere alone right now but it didn’t stop him staring ice daggers at her.

‘Fuck… come on.’ It had worked. David stood impatiently waiting and Marko stood up next to Maria. Star went to grab her shoes and was pushed out of the cave before she could even get her second shoe on properly. It was bucketing down and she half expected David to grab her and fly her to the bikes but he didn’t, he just walked up behind her and she knew this would only make David’s mood worse. David gunned it down to the Motel Capri and as soon as his bike had stopped, he was almost forcing her off the seat. She watched him charge off, full of arrogance and with annoyance streaming off him, to acquire a key to one of the rooms. He appeared and led them down to the room, unlocked the door he ushered the girls inside, while he held Marko at the door. Star looked around the room and she was pleasantly surprised at the condition of the place, it was nice and clean and she couldn’t wait to go for a shower. David disappeared without saying anything to her and Marko called Maria over to him so Star walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She poked her head out the door to tell Maria to go first as she had to go to work but Marko and Maria were in a deep kiss and she decided not to interrupt them so she took the first shower. The water felt amazing and she spent a little longer in there than she should have and when she got out she wrapped herself in the large fluffy towel and looked disappointedly at the horrible white dress with blood stains on the front that had had to put back on. That’s when she decided she was getting clothes tonight, before she went back to the cave, regardless of anything. She got dressed and hung the towel around her shoulders to cover the blood until she put her jacket back on. She came out of the bathroom and found Maria was on her phone.

‘OK, I’m sorry. I will be there soon.’ She said before hanging up.

‘Is everything alright?’ Star asked her and Maria looked up at her and smiled.

‘Yeah, I’ll just have a quick shower. Marko will be back soon.’ Star nodded and the girl disappeared into the steam filled bathroom. Maria didn’t take nearly as long as Star did and she was out relatively quickly and she sat on the end of the bed in a towel, waiting for her boyfriend to return. Star found it strange that Marko was her boyfriend.

‘Do they really live in that cave? Or do they just hang there and stay somewhere else?’ Maria asked.

‘No, they live there, we live there.’ Star corrected herself.

‘Oh, you live there too? How can you live there? I am not living in a cave.’ She stated. ‘Marko can come live with me.’ She laughed but Star didn’t laugh with her. ‘Do you like living there?’

‘I don’t have a choice.’ Star said simply. ‘I stay where David tells me to.’

‘Yeah, he is rather intense huh? You have been with him a long time, haven’t you?’

‘On and off.’ Star nodded.

‘Is he OK to you? Like does he treat you well? Well, I guess he must do otherwise you wouldn’t be with him, right?’ Star just watched the girl. ‘I can see why Max told me to stay away from him and Dwayne but Marko is so sweet, I don’t know why he wanted to keep me from him.’ Yeah… they all seem so sweet and caring at first. She sounded as naïve as Star was in the beginning and Star wondered why she hadn’t picked up on anything working with Max.

‘You don’t know Marko very well do you?’ Star asked.

‘I know him well enough. I’ve been seeing him for a few weeks now but as you know, I’ve known him a lot longer.’ A few weeks? So, she had been seeing Marko about the same amount of time that David had been back in Star’s life. A few weeks sounded like such a short time but when she related it to her life it seemed much longer.

‘Maria, has he said anything to you about him and the boys?’ Star asked carefully.

‘Not really. Just that they are together almost all the time. Do they work?’ She asked.

‘Sometimes.’ She lied. ‘Um…Do you feel OK tonight?’

‘Ah, yeah. I’d like some clothes and a decent sleep but, yeah.’ Maria laughed and Star smiled at her. ‘Why?’

‘So, you don’t feel sick or anything?’ Star asked.

‘No…’ Maria looked at her a little strange.

‘Well, if you do, let me know. Ok?’

‘Ahh… Sure.’ Maria said turning to look out of the window. ‘Marko’s back!’ She jumped up and opened the door, stepping out to hug him and he pushed her back into the room.

‘What the fuck are you doing? Do you want the whole place to see you?’ Maria’s face dropped. ‘Don’t you ever do that again.’ Marko told her off and Star sat and watched the interaction between the two of them.

‘I’m sorry.’ Maria sat back down on the bed and looked at him, visibly rejected. Marko threw the bag he was holding down on the bed.

‘These are for you.’

‘Thank you.’ She said, picking it up and going into the bathroom leaving Star in the room with Marko.

‘What?’ Marko spat at Star as she sat there looking at him.

‘Be nice. You’re about to drop her off to Max.’ Star said.

‘Shut up.’ He told her. ‘And don’t you get too friendly with her either.’ Star smiled, knowing David wanted her to become friends with Maria and that David would override Marko.

‘When’s David coming back?’ She asked.

‘He’s not, you’re coming back with me.’ Star sighed and looked away but then she realised she would be down on the Boardwalk and she’d be able to pick up some clothing and she perked up and put her jacket and shoes on. Maria appeared out of the bathroom wearing a pair of tight jeans and a singlet with a jacket. She walked over to him and kissed him.

‘Thank you, I love them.’ Marko looked her over approvingly.

‘Let’s get you to work.’ He said and Star put her jacket and shoes on and followed the happy couple to the car. Maria took the front seat and Star climbed in the back for the fifteen-minute drive to the beach.

‘Let me out here, I need to get some things. I’ll meet you back here in half an hour.’ Star told Marko which elicited a glare from him.

‘Oh no, you ain’t going anywhere girl. David will kill me, you know the mood he’s in.’ Marko denied her request.

‘Where’s she gonna go? Come and say goodbye to me.’ Maria came to Star’s defence and Star smiled. Maria being in this group could help her in ways she had never contemplated and Marko folded.

‘Thirty minutes.’ He told her and Star jumped out of the car. A surge of adrenalin hit her as she entered the Boardwalk and was free to walk around on her own. She went down towards the block of clothing stores and found a new Nike store had sprung up and she was stoked. She found training shorts, training tees, a light wind jacket and a couple of pairs of shoes, some Nike Airs and some Nike runners. She was so happy and she bounced up to the counter to speak to the only guy behind the counter and she smiled at him, he was cute.

‘Hi.’

‘Hi.’ He smiled at her and she knew this was going to be easy. ‘What’s your name?’

‘What’s yours?’ She asked, touching his arm.

‘Tony.’

‘Well Tony, I’m gonna take these with me and I’ll come back and see you soon. Ok?’ She said.

‘Sure, OK.’ He may as well have rolled over like a little dog and she grabbed one of their bags and bounced back out of the store. She found an assortment of other clothing in a few other stores and she found a bathroom, got changed and happily threw the stained dress in the nearest bin. Wearing her new Nike Air Maxes, she felt excited with the prospect she would be able to run again, it had been weeks since she’d been for a decent run. She felt like running back to the cave but it was still raining and with the mood David was in, if Marko had gone back without her, she’d be dog meat. She kept her jacket though, she’d always loved the item but as it didn’t match what she was wearing and she had a new jacket on, she folded it and put it in one of the bags. She had another five minutes so she picked up a bottle of perfume, a pair of earrings and some toiletries and she made her way to the entrance and waited for Marko. She waited, and waited and waited… It had been another twenty minutes and he still hadn’t arrived and she began to get worried that Max had done something to him. The roar of a Triumph engine made her turn her head and she half expected to see David pulling up but it was Marko.

‘Get on.’ He said curtly and she slightly shuddered at the prospect of putting her arms around his waist. ‘What the fuck is all that shit?’ He asked, looking at all her bags.

‘I went shopping. I thought we were in a car.’ She was gutted he had ditched the car, she was sick of getting wet tonight.

‘Well, we’re not. Put it all in one bag or it goes.’ He wasn’t in the mood to wait for her and she knew it, but leaving his girlfriend with Max, she wasn’t surprised. She took the shoes out of the box and put them in the bag with her jacket and put the toiletries and perfume in there too. ‘Hurry up!’ He spat at her.

‘OK… OK.’ She said stuffing the shorts, tee shirt and a few other clothing items on the top of the bag then, getting on the back of his bike, she stuffed the bag in between her and Marko and reluctantly held onto his jacket as he pulled out of the Boardwalk parking lot and sped up to the Bluff. The rain got harder and by the time they reached the cave, they were both soaked. They walked into the darker than usual cave and found the boys all sitting around watching a movie. One of them, probably Paul, had hooked up a laptop to a projector both of which he would have stolen and Star was interested in the scene as it wasn’t a common one. She could feel David scrutinizing her and she glanced towards him and he was looking her up and down but before he could berate her for her new attire, she walked out to their side room to put her bag down in there. She took off the wet jacket and placed it on the end of the bed then turned and pulled her shoes out of the bag, putting them on the floor and again she got a surge of happiness knowing she could now run. Then she took the bottle of perfume out and pumped a spray onto herself and placed it on a shelf. She was happy with her acquisitions and she went back out to join the others. She sat down on the end of the couch opposite David and next to Dwayne and looked up at the moving images on the wall. The dark rock made for a perfect movie screen and she was impressed at how effective it was and she watched as Dr Hannibal Lecter taunted Clarise Starling from inside a prison cell. She looked over at Paul to see how he was doing and, although he was tired and probably wasted, he almost looked like the old Paul again and she was relieved. She could feel the heat of David’s stare again and she looked over at him.

‘I had to get changed, Max put me in that dress.’ She said quietly.

‘Shuddup… If you two are gonna spit at each other, go somewhere else. I’m watching this.’ Paul called them out and she looked back at David to see his reaction and saw him glaring at Paul but he didn’t say anything. He flicked his gaze back to her and he lifted his hand, beckoning her to follow him with his index finger. She sighed lightly, not wanting to have any drama with him tonight, she just wanted to sit in the dark and watch a movie for once. She followed him out the back and as soon as they were inside the room, he turned to her and kissed her. It was a deep passionate kiss, one that she wasn’t expecting and she kissed him back. He kissed her like he was hungry for her, like he needed her, and when he pulled away, he held his forehead to hers with his eyes closed and breathed her in. He lifted his head and opened his eyes, his blue diamonds sparking in the darkness.

‘You smell amazing and you look even better.’ She smiled at him, it was nice to be complimented by him rather than made to feel like she was in trouble. It had been a long time since he had made her feel like that. He stepped back and raised his wrist to his mouth and she put her hand up and gently stopped him, lowering his hand back down and it garnered an interested look from him. She stepped forward and raised her hands to his shoulders, sliding one up the back of his neck and into his hair, then she slid her fingertips along the side of his neck and underneath his jacket collar. She eased the jacket away and she leaned in and gently kissed him on the neck, then she kissed him again and let her tongue slide along his skin. He tipped his head back slightly and she felt his hand in the small of her back pulling her against him. She kissed him again and she turned and slowly pierced his skin with her incisors, pulling them down and creating two deep slices from which to drink from. His blood quickly began to flow and she felt him get hard with what she was doing to him. This was a very different experience for her than what David had tried to get her to do with the cop on the beach or with Laddie and even with the guy in the nightclub, this was an experience she was enjoying. There was no panic or hesitation or fear and she wondered if it was just because this was David or if she could do this with a mortal. She drank and drank and they remained in their immortal embrace for what seemed like ages before she finally pulled away to see an even whiter David looking somewhat faint and distant.

‘That was incredible.’ He said dreamily, his lost eyes floating back to her and she half smiled.

‘Good. I’m glad you enjoyed it.’ She delicately touched his cheek before stepping away from him and wiping the corner of her mouth. ‘Shall we go watch the rest of the movie?’ She asked him.

‘Mmmm if we have to.’ He said adjusting himself in his pants and they walked out to join the others. Star sat down near him feeling as high as a kite. His blood worked quickly on her and she was trying to focus on something, anything as to not look or feel quite so out of it. She heard David and Marko and maybe Paul speaking but she struggled to decipher what they were saying and she hoped they weren’t talking to her. She sat back and watched the movie but before too long, she was asleep.


	77. Guns 'n' Roses - David's POV

David carried Star to bed but he didn’t stay with her, by the end of the movie Paul was beginning to get agitated again and he wanted to sleep with the boys tonight to keep an eye on him, but he also knew that their days of sleeping in this cave together were possibly coming to an end. David rolled a few joints and had Paul smoke them until his lips turned a light shade of blue and he could barely keep his eyes open, to the moderate concern of Charlie who looked on but said nothing.

‘Come on, it’s time you joined us.’ David told Charlie and the boys flew him out the back to see their sleeping quarters.

‘What the…? Where do you sleep?’ He asked once they got to the small high roofed cave and David smiled at him as Dwayne shot up there and latched onto the steel bars lodged into the cave wall.

‘Holy fuck!’ Charlie was blown away at the way they slept.

‘Ain’t nobody gonna find us up here.’ Paul slurred as he swayed his way up to join Dwayne.

‘Yeah, except for some teenage fuckers that will stake you in your sleep.’ Marko said before hooking up next to Paul.

‘Let it go, man…’ Paul said, lightly nudging him, already half asleep.

‘People have found you guys in here?’ Charlie asked David, looking worried.

‘It was a long time ago, and those that did are now dead. We’ll be fine.’ David reassured him and he shot up and hooked on the other side of Paul. Charlie clumsily made his way up to hang with the others and they all got some shut eye with sleep taking them into their daily sedation quickly. David had slept soundly until he woke to some movement beside him and, when he opened his eyes, he saw Paul had gone. He tried to zone in on his brother’s thoughts but he got nothing and he knew it was Max blocking him again. He let go of his perch and headed out into the main cave where he heard Star’s voice and she sounded panicked.

‘Please Paul, I’m not going back there. Let me go.’ David saw Paul, fully turned in his monster form, with his arms wrapped around Star from behind and floating four feet in the air holding her against her will.

‘No, he wants me to take you to him. He’s going to fuck with me until you and I are back there and then David will follow. David’s gotta go back, we all do. That’s what he wants, he wants David back or he will kill us.’ Paul was ranting again and David had had enough.

‘What the fuck? What do you want from me?’ David projected to Max and Max responded immediately.

‘You already know what I want, I want my family back. Come back and all this will stop.’ Max answered him calmly.

‘I am not going to be your bum boy again. Let me alone and make one of your new boys your bitch. I am done.’ David boomed at him.

‘If you don’t return to me, I will start in on Star and she will come back to me, she’s not as mentally strong as Paul is and she’s got just as much of my blood inside her. I know you’ve had a taste of what a female vampire can do now and, believe me, I will take her away from you...’ David snarled at Max’s words, ‘and I’ll give her a new boyfriend. You’re running out of time David, I’m tired of waiting.’ David shut off his communication with Max and stepped out of the shadows towards Paul.

‘Paul, let her go.’ David told him.

‘No! We are going.’ Paul’s face screwed up. ‘I can’t get him out of my head.’ He more or less said to himself then shook his wild mane and bared his teeth.

‘Let her go.’ David’s tone changed and Paul shot out of the cave with a pissed off David hot on his heels. David grabbed him hard and yanked him backwards, making him let go of Star and they began to wrestle with each other. David had Paul around the throat and he slammed him against the side of the cliff. ‘You fucking do as I say ass wipe or I will rip you apart! I don’t give a fuck what Max is doing to you!’ David roared at him and Paul glared defiantly back at him.

‘You said he was dead! That we could live without him! You fucking lied.’ Paul spat at him and David stopped.

‘What?’ He asked, a bit taken back at Paul’s words.

‘You know we need him to survive! That’s why you stayed for him for so long! You are full of shit! You know we need him!’ Paul was ranting again and David let Paul go and looked a little closer at his brother and he realised exactly how head fucked he was. Max was pulling some real old school head vampire tactics; shit David hadn’t seen Max do in seventy years and they hovered there looking at each other for a minute. Paul was ready to go all out and fight David and Max had him thinking he had nothing to lose. Paul had always been nervous of Max and right now, Max was using that fear to his advantage. David was going to have to play smarter and dirtier now.

‘I’ll go see him. I will go sort this shit out, OK?’ David had to diffuse this, even if it was by lying, because if this continued David would end up killing him and he didn’t want that. If this was what Max was doing to Paul, what the fuck was the effect he was gonna have on Star? David grabbed Paul by his jacket collar and dragged him back down into the cave where Star, Marko, Charlie and Dwayne stood together. David threw Paul onto the couch and stormed out the back, grabbing two of his bottles on the way, and he slashed at his wrist spilling his blood as he filled two large bottles with his essence. He charged back out there and threw one at Paul. ‘Drink.’ He demanded and Paul again glared at him. ‘Drink it!’ David ordered him and Paul, backing off a bit, popped the cork and hung his head. ‘NOW!’ Paul lifted his head and looked at him as he skulled some of the contents. David turned and gave the other bottle to Star. ‘Now you.’ She took the bottle from him and he turned back and looked at Paul, who took a second swig.

‘Where is Maria?’ David looked sideways at Marko and he shrugged his shoulders.

‘I don’t know, she has work tonight but I don’t know what time.’ Marko answered him.

‘Go get her. We show her tonight.’ David demanded.

‘No way man, she can’t miss any more work. Max was spitting over yesterday and she doesn’t want to lose her job. She’s not ready, she doesn’t want to come back here to stay and wants me to go live with her.’ David turned to him.

‘Get the fuck out of here and go get the bitch.’ David was in no mood to be defied right now. ‘I don’t give a fuck what she wants. She is a fucking puzzle piece and if you don’t go get her, I will and I’ll fucking kill her.’ Marko looked over at Dwayne. ‘GO!’ David yelled and Marko promptly left.

‘What’s going on?’ Dwayne asked quietly, passing David a well needed cigarette.

‘Paul, what ya got?’ David said, taking the cigarette but ignoring Dwayne’s question. Paul looked up at him, looking calmer yet still on edge. ‘Hand it over.’ He ordered, making Paul empty his pockets and David and Dwayne stood there and looked at their brother’s stash.

‘Holy shit, you’re a fucking drug store!’ Charlie crowed over Dwayne’s shoulder and Paul flicked his eyes over to the boy and gave him a half smile. Paul had far more than anyone expected and David exhaled, laughing under his breath. This was going to make tonight a lot better.

‘Help yourself.’ Paul told him.

‘Oh, nah. I don’t partake anymore.’ Charlie said shaking his head.

‘You ain’t gonna last long around here if you don’t.’ Paul told him looking away from him.

‘Keep drinking.’ David told Paul and Paul picked up a large light blue pill with a Mickey Mouse head stamped into it and he took it with another large swig of the bottle. Dwayne picked up the other blue pill while David grabbed two white ones with crescent moons on them. Dwayne downed his one dry and David picked up a bottle of water and took his and he began to feel better about the night ahead. Paul was chilling and they’d all be soon out of it.

‘Isn’t that Western Springs party on tonight? Out near Baldwin Creek?’ David asked, the memory of it springing to his mind, and Paul nodded finishing the bottle and putting it on the table. Then he handed the rest of a bag of speed he’d picked up to Dwayne and the boys just looked at him.

‘Fuck, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it properly.’ Paul said getting up and looking more like the normal wasted Paul they knew and loved. Dwayne and David looked at each other and smiled, this was exactly what the boys needed. Dwayne took the bag and shook half of the contents out into his hand and snorted it then handed the rest of the bag to David, who tipped the remainder of it into his mouth.

‘Fuck! You guys are brutal! That’s gonna kill ya!’ Charlie said, shocked at what they’d just done.

‘Harden up kid, or Paul is right.’ Dwayne told him, turning away and walking off to get his shoes on.

‘Right,’ David looked over to Star, his eyes gleaming, ‘come here.’ He told her and she slowly walked towards him. ‘Open,’ he told her as he went to touch her chin but she pulled away and he grabbed her a little more forcefully, ‘take this.’ He said placing the other white pill on her tongue and watching her as she took a sip of his blood and swallowed it. ‘Good girl. We’re going out. I want you to look sexy.’ He held her gaze with his and she slowly turned and walked to the back room to get changed. The drugs were working quickly and, as David wasn’t exactly the most patient person anyways, he found Star was taking too long and he called for her to come out. She did and he had an instant reaction to the way she looked, her hair was up and she was wearing a tight white off the shoulder top with a black skirt just above the knee and a pair of knee high boots and she was holding the same jacket from last night. He took a deep breath in trying to compose himself, the speed was making him restless, they all were, all except Charlie, whom David was rapidly becoming bored of and they bounced out of the cave up to their bikes. The day had been hot and the ground was dry which made the night even better, especially seeing they were going to be out in the bush. They mounted their engines and Charlie stood there a bit awkwardly until Paul told him to get on behind him.

‘But we are getting you some wheels tonight. You ain’t riding bitch with me again.’ Paul told him and they peeled out off the cliff towards northern Santa Carla. As they pulled up, David could hear the party long before he could see it, the gathering was deep in the forest but there was a steady stream both in and out of the trees so it was easy to find. David told Marko to bring Maria to the forest and they began making their way to the centre of the action. Once they’d trekked the half hour out to the gathering, David was impressed by the set up that had been laid out, there was a stage backing onto the creek and various seating arrangements dotted around the clearing and there were two mini bars set up with a generator providing power for the sound system along with the multitude of fairy lights that were strung up through the large trees surrounding them. It was still relatively early but there must have been over a hundred people there already and people were continuing to arrive. The stage was fully set up for a band and David purveyed his surroundings happily, feeling like he was in exactly the right place for the state he was in and his plan for the evening, when Dwayne hit his arm getting his attention.

‘Fuck off.’ He said and David turned to see what he was talking about and he saw a sign, no bigger than a car door, which read ‘Guns ‘n Roses’ and David stopped.

‘No way. Seriously?!’ Charlie exclaimed and he began bouncing around with excitement. There had been no advertising that they would be playing in Santa Carla let alone out here tonight otherwise there would have been one hundred thousand people here, not just the hundred and fifty odd that were. Suddenly this night held far more potential than he’d even anticipated and he looked around at Paul who had totally come around and was far more animated and happy to be there.

‘Where are you?’ David projected to Marko but he got no response. The crowd was amped and there was a definite air of excitement pumping through the place.

‘Fuck yeah! This is exactly where Pauly needs to be!’ Paul laughed, checking out the female forms starting to move about the area and David smiled. Paul always referred to himself in the third person when he was really fucked up and David watched him take off after a group of young girls and he was charming him within minutes.

‘Is he alright?’ Dwayne asked David. ‘What was that shit back at the cave?’

‘Max has him all tied up with some vintage vampire shit and he’s teetering on the edge. I don’t know how long he’s gonna hold it together but he seems to be better when he’s on this.’ David began wiping his hands on his jeans. ‘Fuck these are strong.’

‘Mm-hm.’ Dwayne said through a clenched jaw. ‘Is he gonna be OK?’

‘I don’t know man, I don’t really know what to do just yet other than plow him full of my blood and try dilute what’s already in there.’ David looked up at Dwayne. ‘And keep him fucked up I guess. Max said he’s gonna start in on her if we don’t go back.’ Dwayne looked over at Star and even in his state he knew that was really going to fuck things up.

‘What are we doing with that one?’ Dwayne asked him motioning to Charlie and David rolled his eyes.

‘Ugh, fuck knows.’ David didn’t care about the kid and didn’t even want to think about him right now. The DJ’s music went down and the lights on the stage began to flash and the first chords of ‘My Michelle’ began playing and the boys lined themselves up along the treeline while everyone else charged the small stage and a mosh pit quickly developed. David looked over at Star and she was standing a little away from them watching some girls dancing and some guys watching the girls. He watched her for a while and he could read her thoughts clearer than ever and she was still longing for a normal existence and a normal life and he felt a flash of annoyance at her. She still wasn’t happy with the gift she now possessed and he really thought she would have gotten over it by now. She was thinking of Max too.

‘Star.’ He called out to her and she turned her head towards him and her eyes were the size of dinner plates. She walked over to him and he turned her so her back was to him and he held her from behind against him and she began to move and sway to ‘Patience,’ fully testing his self control. Paul returned with a cheeky grin on his face and David knew what he’d up to and he shook his head as Paul held up one finger at him and feeling another body against him had him thinking it was no wonder Paul had knocked one out already. The boys, while looking similar to half the motley crew that were around them, still stood apart from the crowd as they stood together leaning against, or in Paul’s case in, the trees. David could feel their energy, being on speed always made him more acutely aware of his pack and then he remembered he still hadn’t heard from Marko. ‘Dude, where the fuck…’ He mentally started to say but before he could finish, Marko and an unimpressed Maria appeared beside him.

‘Yeah, wasn’t as easy as you think.’ David looked from Marko to Maria and she glared at them both.

‘Go see Paul.’ He told him and it was then Marko noticed the state of everyone and Marko walked over to Paul, who handed him a pill.

‘One for your girl?’ Paul asked.

‘No!’ David answered him and they both looked at David.

‘She’s walked away anyways.’ Star said and Marko took the pill and semi rolled his eyes then walked off after her.

‘Time to DIIIIEEEE!’ Axl Rose screeched into the microphone and the crowd erupted which broke their attention from the Marko / Maria drama and drew them back to the event unfolding before of them. Paul disappeared from the tree and David assumed he was off to roll a joint, the three of them were screaming high and something to centre them was needed round about now. The way David was feeling, if he showed Maria what they were and killed anybody right now, then everybody else around them would be on the menu, he wouldn’t be able to control himself. There was a reason he didn’t do speed and he needed to come down a bit. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, offering Dwayne one and he was semi surprised to see the face that took the cigarette from him. Dwayne was fucked, in fact David didn’t think he’d ever seen Dwayne that high, and he’d seen Dwayne everyday for the past eighty years and in every state possible. Jesus, if David felt like he did and Dwayne looked like he did, what fucking state was Paul in now? That thought intrigued yet slightly concerned him. Suddenly David felt Star’s hands sliding up the side of his thighs as she was beginning to melt into his chest and he slid his hands up her body and he stopped just beneath her breasts, realising what he was doing. He was too high for this and he lifted his hands from her body and sucked on the cigarette he had, wondering where Paul was, it felt like he’d been gone for ages and he really needed a smoke. 

‘You guys are fucked,’ Marko appeared again with Maria, ‘what else did you take?’

‘Blow.’ David told him and Marko looked over at Dwayne, who was holding his hair off his face and looking like he was wired for sound.

‘Where’s Charlie?’ Marko asked and David shrugged. ‘What about Paul?’ Marko asked, glancing around but not being able to spot him. He did, however, see Star and saw that her eyes were massive and her chin was lightly trembling so he knew she was on something too but she didn’t have the edge that Dwayne and David currently possessed. Paul returned looking more than a bit dishevelled and with a huge smile upon his face. He looked at David holding up two fingers and David laughed, keeping Paul busy was how he was going to get around Max and it was going to be so easy by the looks of him tonight. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before now.

‘God damn there are some spectacular specimens out here tonight! Time for a smoke!’ Paul led the boys off towards the creek behind the stage and sparked up one of two cigar sized joints, handing one to David and sucking on the other one before handing it off to Marko. ‘Oh, fuck yeah…’ Paul said holding in the smoke in his lungs as long as he could before blowing it out. David lit the stick he had been given and inhaled deeply as a loud train whistle blared out of the speakers and the boys on stage began to play ‘Night Train.’ David felt the numbing smoke work its magic and he almost instantly felt better. Inhaling again, he passed it to Dwayne, who was chewing the fuck out of the inside of his cheek and David chuckled at him. Dwayne took three large hits of the smoke and, although physically he didn’t look any different, his demeanour begin to calm and David knew the smoke had dulled his high too. Charlie took the smoke after and he was lucky he did, if he hadn’t, David was going to kill him tonight himself, there were no soft cocks allowed in his pack. Marko offered the smoke to Maria and she shook her head.

‘Take it.’ He pressed it on her. ‘It will chill you the fuck out.’ She half glared at him but she took it.

‘Where’s Star?’ She asked after coughing the smoke out and David looked around expecting to see her but she wasn’t there. He thought she had followed them down to the creek and he was more than a little interested in where she was when she suddenly appeared out of the crowd with a lollipop in her mouth and tiny beads of sweat on her forehead. Had she been dancing? He didn’t remember seeing her leave him. She walked casually down the embankment with a half-smile on her face and only a tiny ring of golden brown around her swollen pupils. He scanned her brain and he didn’t like what he picked up on.

‘What?’ She asked, not taking to lollipop out of her mouth.

‘Here.’ David motioned for her to give him the sweet and she handed it to him only for him to throw it on the ground next to the water and he turned back to the others.

‘What the hell, man? That wasn’t cool!’ Maria had a go at David and he gave her a look full of ice cold judgement, before looking back at Marko.

‘It’s OK, it doesn’t matter.’ Star said, taking the joint from Maria. David knew it was time, Maria needed to be put in her place before she went back to Max and gave him a run down on what the low lives he’d warned her of were doing. David was wary of the girl Marko had chosen but it was too late. David would scare the shit out of the bitch tonight and have her begging Marko for his protection.


	78. Guns 'n' Roses - Star's POV

Star awoke to someone grabbing her off the bed, placing a hand over her mouth and pulling her backwards out into the main cave.

‘Shhh… We’ve gotta go, we’re going back there.’ It wasn’t until he spoke that she realised it was Paul that had hold of her and she pulled his hand away from her face.

‘No, Paul, put me down!’ She cried out and he growled at her and pulled tighter around her. It was then she realised he was turned and he pulled her up into the air.

‘Shut up! Don’t you get it? If we don’t go back there, we’re going to die!’ He wasn’t making any sense.

‘Please Paul, I’m not going back there. Let me go.’ She tried again panicking.

‘No, he wants me to take you to him. He’s going to fuck with me until you and I are back there and then David will follow. David’s gotta go back, we all do. That’s what he wants, he wants David back or he will kill us.’ Paul was frantic and Star was really scared.

‘Please, don’t do this!’ She cried but Paul wasn’t really listening to her and it was like someone was talking to him.

‘Paul, let her go.’ David appeared in the dark cave and they both looked up at him.

‘No! We are going.’ She felt his face bury into her hair. ‘I can’t get him out of my head.’ He said quietly and he shook his head as if to shake the voice out of his head.

‘Let her go.’ David demanded and she was swiftly taken out of the cave and into the fresh night air then Paul was sharply pulled back and he dropped her. She began to fall fast before she caught herself, stopping her descent, and she looked up at the two of them. The ferocious viciousness in which they fought shocked her and she became scared one of them wasn’t going to make it out of this alive so she shot back into the cave but none of the others were there. She’d never been out to where they slept and she nervously made her way back there to wake Dwayne, he was the one who needed to get out there and stop them but when she got to a small cave but couldn’t see any of them.

‘What the fuck are you doing in here?’ Marko growled at her and she looked up to see them hanging from their feet. The sight shocked her and she didn’t answer him immediately until Dwayne opened his dark eyes and looked down at her.

‘Paul and David are fighting. Paul’s lost it again, please go stop them.’ She pleaded with the brothers and Dwayne unhooked and flew out into the cave, Marko and Star following close behind with Charlie coming up the rear.

‘Where are they?’ Dwayne asked, after looking around the room and finding nothing.

‘They’re outside. Paul grabbed me and told me we were going back to Max. He was talking crazy.’ She said when suddenly David came back into the cave and slammed Paul down into the couch and stormed past them, out the back. Paul sat up but wouldn’t look at anyone and Dwayne went to walk out the back to talk to David but, before he could, David reappeared holding two bottles smeared in blood and he threw one at Paul, the bottle landing on the couch next to him.

‘Drink.’ David barked and Paul looked up, staring daggers at him. ‘Drink it!’ She watched Paul pick the bottle up, pull the cork and sit with his elbows on his knees and he hung his head so his hair covered half of his face. ‘NOW!’ David yelled making Star jump. David never yelled and the effect reverberated through everyone standing in his vicinity and Paul drank the thick red liquid. She hated seeing the boys fight and she felt guilty, like it was her fault, and David turned to her and handed her the other bottle. ‘Now you.’ He said to her and she wasn’t going to push him and have him yell at her like he just did to Paul so she took it and watched him warily.

‘Where is Maria?’ David asked Marko and Marko shrugged his shoulders.

‘I don’t know, she has work tonight but I don’t know what time.’ Marko replied but she could tell by the look in David’s eyes, it wasn’t an acceptable answer.

‘Go get her. We show her tonight.’ David stated and Star’s stomach sank. It was too soon to show Maria, she hadn’t had a chance to talk to her or warn her.

‘No way man, she can’t miss any more work. Max was spitting over yesterday and she doesn’t want to lose her job. She’s not ready, she doesn’t want to come back here to stay and wants me to go live with her.’ Star was surprised to hear Marko deny him, especially in the current mood David was in. This must have been what Marko and Maria had been talking about while she was waiting for him.

‘Get the fuck out of here and go get the bitch. I don’t give a fuck what she wants. She is a fucking puzzle piece and if you don’t go get her, I will and I’ll fucking kill her.’ She’s a puzzle piece? What did he mean by that? Suddenly she felt like nothing more than part of a game David was playing with Max and she really didn’t want to be a pawn on this particular chess board. ‘GO!’ David yelled again and Marko bolted out the cave entrance. Dwayne tapped out a cigarette from his pack and offered it to David.

‘What’s going on?’ Dwayne asked David calmly and she watched David carefully to see what he was going to say but he just took the cigarette and turned back to Paul. Dwayne and Star locked eyes for a second and she could see the concern Dwayne had for both Paul and David.

‘Paul, what ya got?’ David asked and Paul looked up at him. ‘Hand it over.’ It was an order, not a request and Paul emptied his pockets onto the table and Star’s eyes widened at the load. She was shocked at what he was in possession of but she was more scared of the actual substances laid out on the table, especially the bags of powder. They had always spelt trouble for the boys.

‘Holy shit, you’re a fucking drug store!’ Charlie said and she looked up at Charlie wondering what he must be thinking of the whole scene. He must think they were all fucking crazy.

‘Help yourself.’ Paul told him and David began filtering through what was in the pile on the table.

‘Oh, nah. I don’t partake anymore.’ She looked up at Charlie, surprised at his admission and his honesty almost endeared him to her. Not many people stood their ground around David.

‘You ain’t gonna last long around here if you don’t.’ Paul commented and she knew he was speaking truth. She watched Charlie’s face fall a little and she knew he was screwed, there was no way David was going to keep him around now and she knew it.

‘Keep drinking.’ David said and she saw he was talking to Paul and not her. She still hadn’t drank any of hers and she held the bottle close to her chest watching Paul pick up a pill and take it with a gulp of his bottle. She then watched, with increasing alarm, as he grabbed one of the bags of powder and tipped what seemed like a massive amount into the rest of what was in the bottle and he skulled it. Paul wasn’t OK right now without being on drugs, what the fuck was David doing letting him get this fucked up tonight? She looked up to see David drinking from a bottle of water and she knew he’d just taken something as well and her anxiety began to rise.

‘Isn’t that Western Springs party on tonight? Out near Baldwin Creek?’ David asked putting the lid back on the water and Paul nodded, handing the rest of the bag he’d put in his bottle to Dwayne and her jaw clenched. She was very not OK with what was happening and didn’t want to go to a party at all, let alone with them while they were high and she watched as Dwayne hesitated and she prayed he wouldn’t take the powder. He was the one who could keep thing on a semi even keel.

‘Fuck it, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it properly.’ Paul said and she saw Dwayne and David look at each other and smile and she instantly felt sick and turned her head away. She didn’t want to see this, she felt like walking away because she knew the consequence of this particular action and it never ended well.

‘Fuck! You guys are brutal! That’s gonna kill ya!’ She heard Charlie say and she closed her eyes. She wished it would kill them, but then she would be the creature she’d become all alone.

‘Harden up kid, or Paul is right.’ It sounded like a warning from Dwayne and she looked over to see him walking away.

‘Right, come here.’ Star looked over at David and he almost looked like the drugs were working on him already. She cautiously walked towards him, worried about what he was going to do to her. ‘Open.’ He touched her chin and she ever so slightly jerked her head away from him and he grabbed her chin, forcing her mouth open. ‘Take this.’ She really didn’t want it, the last time she’d had a pill was a disaster and she really didn’t want a repeat performance. She reluctantly opened her mouth and he placed the pill on her tongue, the sharp tangy taste was instantly apparent on her tongue and she knew it was strong and she quickly took a sip of the blood to swallow it. It was too late now, what’s done was done and she had no choice but to run with it. ‘Good girl.’ He lightly slapped her cheek. ‘We’re going out. I want you to look sexy.’ She could feel his influence as she got sucked into his glinting crystals and she almost felt in somewhat of a trance and she walked out the back to get changed. She twisted her hair up into a loose bun, put some makeup on and pulled out some of the new clothing she had scored the night before and she got dressed.

‘Star!’ David called out impatiently and she quickly got out the pair of knee high boots she had picked up and she grabbed the leather jacket and headed out into the main cave. David stopped when she appeared and she saw a muscle move in his jaw as he looked her up and down. The boys looked on edge and restless and her nerves were making her a little unsteady on her feet. David pushed them out of the cave and they flew into the bush to collect their bikes. She was happy the night was warm and the rain had stopped and she put her jacket on and got on David’s bike behind him. She was surprised to see Paul allow Charlie on the back of his bike and his tolerance of the boy made her sure the drugs were hitting him. By the time David had stopped outside the track leading to the party, she was clenching her back teeth, her breathing had quickened and she felt all tingly and warm. David took her hand and he led her through the bush out to the clearing and her eyes lit up once she saw the area. The sound coming out of the speakers was crisp and there were people dancing around her already making her want to join them. She looked up to see twinkling lights in the trees and she became mildly mesmerized by them before she noticed the stage all set up and she got excited at the prospect of a live band then she looked around and saw a couple of mini bars set up and she became aware of her cotton mouth. She actually felt like a drink, which was really unusual for her, and told her that she was well on her way to being smashed. Her heart was beating fast and everything around her was eerily crystal clear and she was enjoying being there already. She needed to be around the energy of the people and noise and atmosphere of the party, it was making her feel less obvious which she liked. More and more people were piling into the relatively small area and, as she stood there, she saw two girls slowly wander past and she overheard them talking.

‘Dark hair, three o’clock.’ One said to the other and Star looked over towards where their three o’clock would be and David and Dwayne were standing there looking back at them.

‘You can have that one but the blonde is mine.’ The other one responded and she was surprised at the reaction she was having, she felt a shot of jealousy and she almost went over to her husband and wrapped her arms around him but she didn’t. She continued to watch the girls and elicited unimpressed looks from them.

‘What?’ One of them said to her and instantly she felt like ripping into her, which was another sensation she wasn’t expecting to experience. She looked away and stretched her ever tightening jaw, relieving the slight pain her intense clenching was causing and she wished she had some gum or something. Paul bounced past her and she watched him target and approach a group of girls a few feet away and she saw their shy smiles as they turned with interest to see the boy begin talking to them. He had their total attention immediately and, even from where she stood, she could see he had them captivated. She stood there utterly fascinated at the way he charmed and manipulated them right where he wanted them and she felt like she was seeing him and his power from a totally different perspective now she was one of them. She was interested in the way they were unable to take their eyes off him and his use of the art of compulsion was as clear as a summer Californian day to her. The light touch of his hand and his lingering look was so familiar to her and she watched as he took a girl’s hand, smiled a devastatingly sexy smile at her and he walked off with her. The entire interaction had taken about twelve minutes and she was gone. Star shook her head, a half smile upon her face and she thought how typical it was for Paul to pick up here, she was happy he was distracted from the torment Max had been inflicting on him though. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the stage light up and heard a familiar riff echo out from the speakers and she turned to see a black top hat covering a curly mass of black hair and she just about fell over. That wasn’t seriously him, it must be a tribute band, right? Then the familiar tone of Axl Rose’s voice started to sing and she knew it was actually them, it was Guns ‘n Roses. A surge of adrenalin pumped through her and she watched the reaction of all the rest of the crowd, who obviously didn’t know they were going to be playing here either. Although she loved the energy they provided her right now, being surrounded by the youth of the town made her feel like she was never going to be around a different type of people, that she was condemned to live a Groundhog Day type of existence with David and his boys forever to be around people such as the late teenaged girls in front of her and the twenty something year old boys chasing them. Despite her being a full vampire and off her face on ecstasy, the sadness of her realisation was not lost on her. She felt old now, almost too old to be in places like this and in the state that she was in and she wondered if David ever felt like she did right now. Then her thoughts wandered to Max and she wondered how he became a vampire and how old he was because he’d obviously aged somewhat and he led, what looked like from the outside, a very normal and mature lifestyle and she wondered if she could ever have that now. In that moment she found she still wished that she could. She could have had it with Michael, and even Campbell, but with David she couldn’t see it ever happening.

‘Star.’ She heard David’s voice and she turned to look at him. He didn’t need to verbalise what he wanted from her because, just looking at him, she already knew so she walked to him, feeling his heavy judgmental gaze upon her. Once she reached him, he grabbed her and positioned her in front of him and as soon as his cold hands touched her skin, a wave of tingles flooded all over her body and his skin felt silky smooth to her, like porcelain. A slower song started and she began moving against his body and she could feel him harden behind her making her smile. Where were those girls now? Paul returned and smiling, he held up a finger to David and they all stood together watching the show, when suddenly Marko and Maria appeared.

‘Yeah, wasn’t as easy as you think.’ Marko said to David and Star looked at the two of them and, although she was struggling to maintain proper focus, she recognised the displeasure in Maria’s face.

‘Go see Paul.’ David told Marko and Star slid her eyes back to the crowd but it felt more like her eyes floated back there and she saw Maria walking off in a huff.

‘One for your girl?’ She heard Paul say and she felt David deny him before Marko could even say anything and she looked around to see both Paul and Marko looking at the man behind her.

‘She’s walked away anyways.’ Star mentioned and Marko swallowed his pill and took off after her. Axl squealed the opening to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and it caught her attention and David let her go, allowing her to move forward slightly so she could dance while he had a cigarette behind her. The euphoric sensation pressing on her melted away and she felt an injection of energy enter her as the crowd began jumping and cheering. She danced for a while, melting back into her own little world, when someone bumped too close to her and she stepped back into David, her back right up against his firm body. She felt another wave of ecstasy wash over her again and she dropped her jacket onto the ground and slid her hands beneath his jacket and up the outside of his thighs and began rubbing her ass on his growing hard on. She knew now she was really out of it and she felt his hands slide up her stomach, making her eyes roll closed and he head fall back on his chest as his hands neared her breasts. Suddenly his hands left her and she heard Marko’s voice prompting her to open her eyes.

‘You guys are fucked.’ He said to them both, ‘what else did you take?’

‘Blow.’ David said and he pushed her off him and she felt so high she could feel her jaw trembling. She walked away a bit and wiped the perceived sweat from her upper lip then closed her eyes to try and calm the intense feeling within her. When she reopened her eyes, she saw Paul appear and she watched him signal David again. He’d obviously been off fucking his second girl of the night and alarm bells began ringing for her as suddenly a dark realisation hit her. It was so easy and so quick and she was stupid to think that they all didn’t do this on the regular, including David. She looked over at them and she couldn’t believe how naïve she’d been, of course he was out doing this, he probably had been right from the beginning of their relationship. He had left her alone all the time in the beginning and even knowing now what she did, she didn’t believe he was out hunting the whole time. And on the back of that, he had the balls to make her feel guilty over her indiscretions and even punished her for them in the vilest way possible for her when he’d been out doing probably even worse. She felt stupid and was now decidedly annoyed and embarrassed and she needed a drink. She walked away, past the throbbing mob of people, and as she approached the bar, she began to try to alter her behaviour to seem straighter than she was.

‘Hi.’ The bartender smiled and she was sure he knew she was flying as soon as he saw her. ‘What can I get you?’ He asked her.

‘Can I have a bourbon and coke please?’ She just about choked on the words as they came out of her mouth, bourbon was David’s poison not hers and she was perplexed as to why she would order it but it was too late and the bartender had started making it already. He placed the glass down in front of her and smiled.

‘It’s on the house, you look like you need it.’

‘Thanks.’ She gave him an awkward smile back and picked up the glass when he quickly brought his hand around from behind his back and handed her a lollipop. ‘You look like you need this too.’ She looked at the metallic green candy and then back up at the boy.

‘Thanks.’ She said again and she went to take it from him but he twisted his wrist and jerked it out of her grasp and she lightly laughed. He gave it to her again when she took it he winked at her then he went back to work. She turned back to the crowd and she watched the band play as she sipped on her drink. The bourbon was strong and the taste reminded her of the many times David had been out without her and came back tasting of bourbon but strangely she found she was enjoying it. She skulled the whole thing down and afterwards found that it grounded her a little and made her feel better. She unwrapped the lollipop, stuck it in her mouth and began to slowly make her way across the crowd. She let her paranoia over David go, deciding she wasn’t going to let him ruin her night, and she bounced in between the people through to the middle of the mass of people and she stopped and had a dance. She went to move on after a few minutes but she felt arms around her holding her back and, thinking it was David, she spun around prepared to face him but she found a sexy young guy holding on to her instead. She looked at him for a second and then quickly decided that, considering her recent epiphany, she figured a quick dance and flirt with this young hottie was in order tonight. She was facing him and he pulled her closer to him and they began dancing together, her heart was beating in her throat due to her nerves but she was a vampire now so if David found her in this embrace, he couldn’t threaten to turn her any longer and she felt a lot stronger now so she was sure she wouldn’t allow him to do what he had done last time to her. The boy leaned in and she could smell his cologne and their closeness had her eyes rolling back and her hand involuntarily slid into the back of his hair. Suddenly she picked up the scent of his blood and she opened her eyes and refocussed on him and he was smiling at her.

‘You’re fucked.’ He said in a low voice and she half smiled back at him. He went in for a kiss and, in her state, she let him but she could instantly feel his heartbeat as soon as their tongues touched and she almost unconsciously turned. Struggling to control herself, she pulled away from the boy but he held on tighter and she forcibly removed his hands from her body. She broke though the crowd and replaced the lollipop back in her mouth, heading back towards the boys, but found she wanted to stay immersed in the energy being created by the bouncing crowd and, once she emerged out the other side where the boys had been, she found them gone. She wandered around the area sucking on her lollipop and looking for them but she still couldn’t spot them so she walked back towards the path in and out of the place but still nothing. She walked back to where they had been and began to think maybe they had left without her when she glanced behind the stage and she caught a quick glance of Dwayne and she realised they were down by the creek. She walked down the embankment and David and Maria were looking up at her and she walked towards them, happy in the knowledge she’d been off doing her own thing just as she was sure the boys did, but she knew her newly found freedom was not going to sit well with David’s possessive nature. She found them sharing a couple of huge joints and they all noticed her but only David kept his eyes on her.

‘What?’ She asked, stopping in front of him.

‘Here.’ David held up his hand to her, motioning to her to give him her lollipop and she did and he instantly chucked it to the ground sending a chill through her when she looked back up at him. She could see he wasn’t happy with her and he knew something and his eyes went dark before he turned his back to her and she sensed she was in trouble. She needed to straighten up.

‘What the hell, man? That wasn’t cool!’ Maria spat at him and Star looked up to see David turn his ice-cold stare onto the poor girl and she was scared that in David’s current state, he would snap.

‘It’s OK, it doesn’t matter.’ Star tried to be a buffer between the two of them but she saw the look in David’s eyes when he looked over at Marko and her heart sank. Star was surprised that Maria had stood up to David for her and she really hoped it wouldn’t result in it being a fatal mistake for her because Star was actually beginning to like her.


	79. Marko's Girl - David's POV

‘It’s time boys.’ David announced and he caught both Marko’s and Star’s reactions. He glanced at the other three and Dwayne’s eyes were still the size of golf balls, Paul looked like the concert going on behind them was going on inside his head and Charlie was looking out of place, as usual. David’s mischievous side was piqued with the prospect of showing Maria the art of killing with his boys like this, even Marko’s eyes had begun to swell and he knew all his core boys would be on form tonight.

‘Go find something suitable.’ David projected to Dwayne. ‘Take Paul with you.’ Dwayne and Paul both looked at David and they disappeared up into the crowds.

‘Time for what?’ Maria asked Marko after watching the boys walk past her.

‘This is the reason I wanted you to ditch work.’ Marko told her quietly and just then a man pushed his friend into the water beside them and they turned to see the commotion, but out of the corner of his eye, David saw Star reach out and grab Maria’s arm and shake her head only she quickly saw he’d seen her and she received one of his more brutal glares.

‘Please David, not yet.’ Star silently pleaded with him. ‘She’s not ready.’

‘I waited with you and look where that got us. She’ll do as I say and so will you.’ He projected back at her. ‘Let’s go.’ He said aloud, pressing his influence on both the girls but it wasn’t working so well on Star and he sensed it was because of the E. He could read her thoughts and see she was trying to formulate a way to warn the girl and in that moment, he decided Star wasn’t going to participate in this tonight. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he realised that his decision was actually going to work for him, he wasn’t going to allow her to kill or feed alone just yet anyways and he wouldn’t be distracted by her presence either, but he did, however, have a desire for her to watch them turn someone and see the carnage that can erupt from killing in the state they were all in. It was a shame because he knew it was going to be a spectacle to behold, that’s for sure. Especially in the mood he was in.

‘Stay here.’ He told Star and she continued to look at him while still holding onto Maria’s arm.

‘No wait, I want her to come with me.’ Maria said to him and with that request, she had just managed to grate on David’s tolerance even more than she already had. He’d had enough of her tonight already and he actually began to wonder if he was going to be able to put up with her long term at all. This might end up being Maria’s demise if she didn’t shut up. ‘Look, I’m not going anywhere…’

‘Star stays here!’ David cut her off in his low harsh tone and she stopped her arguing. ‘You will come with us.’ The atmosphere changed, suddenly everything was more serious and Marko took Maria’s hand and gently pulled it from Star’s grasp. ‘Don’t leave.’ David turned and spoke to Star. ‘I mean it Star, don’t fucking test me tonight.’ He warned her and they walked off back up into the crowd. Although the people were still enthralled with the Gunners, they were scattered all around the perimeter of the clearing and into the forest and this was a double-edged sword for David, it made it easier for them to hunt but it also made it more difficult at the same time because more people equalled more chance of being seen and he hadn’t caught up on where the Santa Carla Police were at with the whole blood analysis thing, let alone being seen hunting or to have another body found. He was suddenly feeling a bit stifled and that was never a good state for David to be in.

‘Where are we going?’ Maria asked but no one responded to her, David continued walking and kept his thoughts with his missing boys. Speed made Dwayne revert back to his ancestral ways a bit, which always perplexed and impressed David, and, although he’d known him for decades, it also presented a different side to his dark-haired brother. It almost made him betray his strong silent persona and allowed him a glimpse into the make-up of the Indian within. It also brought out his more brutal side and he took out a lot of the old pain from his human life on his victims and that was what David was looking forward to seeing tonight. Paul, however, was a mess, he was always a mess but speed concentrated that mess into a tight bundle of chaos and in turn intensified the pain inflicting nature of his brother. Marko had maintained his new-found brutality quite nicely, as far as David could tell, but he was wondering how the pill and being around someone he actually cared about would affect his participation in tonight’s activity.

‘Found anything?’ David projected to Dwayne.

‘Yeah,’ Dwayne replied, ‘head east for twenty minutes and we’ll meet you.’ David flicked a quick glance to Marko and he led them off towards Dwayne.

‘Why couldn’t Star come with us?’ Maria spoke again and David again kept walking. He hoped he could now trust Star to stay put and wait for him. Now that he was a part of her, her loyalty should be complicit and totally with him and the boys, but he had to remind himself that it wasn’t purely his blood flowing within her, she was tainted with Max’s blood also and that still had him feeling uneasy. He looked over at Charlie and decided to send him back to get her and take her back to the cave.

‘Charlie, go back and pick up Star and take her back to the cave.’ David told him.

‘I don’t have any wheels.’ He said back.

‘Well, it’s about time you got some.’ David said, looking sideways at the young boy and Charlie smiled back at him, picking up on what David was alluding to and he turned and began to walk back. ‘Don’t fuck around, get her back there soon.’ David called after him and Charlie looked back over his shoulder.

‘Yeah, sure.’ He agreed and he disappeared behind the dark leaves.

‘Why is she leaving?’ Maria asked and again she was ignored and she was sick of it. ‘Hey!’ She pushed David’s shoulder blade, making him stop and turn, glaring at the girl.

‘Watch it girlie.’ David said, his words full of warning.

‘No, I’m not going any further unless you tell me where we’re going.’ She was beginning to spin and Marko pulled her back and shook his head.

‘Don’t. Just come along and don’t ask any questions right now. You’ll find out.’ He tried to placate her but she wasn’t going to be cajoled and she stopped.

‘This is fucked, you could be leading into a spider web. Max warned me not to trust you.’ She directed her comment at David and David’s face changed.

‘You watch what you fucking say to me. If you don’t come with us now, you may not be leaving these woods at all.’ He said with a deadly serious tone and he slid his eyes towards Marko. ‘Shut the bitch up Marko.’ He warned his brother and he walked off. Marko pulled her to him and brought her attention back to him.

‘Look, I know you have been told not to trust him but what about me? He asked but her wide eyes remained fixed upon the stark blonde hair walking away, almost glowing in the darkness. ‘Maria!’ She was shaken out of her semi shocked state and looked at her boyfriend with tears in her eyes. ‘Do you trust me?’ He asked her and her eyes went to look back at David’s fading outline. ‘No, answer me. Do you trust me?’ He whispered to her and she nodded.

‘Yeah.’ She whispered back.

‘I won’t let anything happen to you. OK? But you need to back off from him and follow. I won’t leave you with him.’

‘But…’

‘I won’t leave you. I promise.’ She nodded again and he took her hand. ‘Come on.’ He pulled her along with him in the direction David had gone and she stayed very quiet and very close to him from now on. David approached a small group of girls that were consoling a distraught girl in the centre. It was an odd scene for David but, looking at it objectively, there was no one around and the situation actually suited their purpose. David heard a slight whistle and shot his eyes to his right to see Dwayne leaning against a tree and David walked over to him.

‘Where’s Paul?’

‘He can’t stay still, he’s waiting for the signal to get it started, but we better be quick cause he’s not going to last long.’ David studied his brother who was breathing kinda heavily, ‘him and me both.’ David recognised how on edge Dwayne was and he knew Maria was about to get the crash course in understanding what they were. Marko and Maria came up beside them and it was now time. David took Maria’s hand and took a few steps forward where they could see the girls better. Dwayne disappeared but Marko stayed, standing behind them when suddenly Paul came into view and he spoke to the girls, finding what the problem was.

‘She just caught her boyfriend cheating.’ One of them explained and Paul nodded.

‘Ahh… well, you know the best way to get over someone?’ Paul asked, smiling and rocking from one foot to the other. The girls smiled up at him becoming more interested in the boy before them. ‘You should meet my friend Dwayne, he’ll help you forget about your cheating boyfriend.’ Paul said.

‘It’s showtime.’ David whispered to Maria. 

‘What are they doing?’ Maria turned and asked Marko and David pulled her arm and answered her.

‘Pay attention girl. You’re about to see your future.’ David’s tone was serious and Maria looked from him back to Marko to see an equally serious expression upon his face but he did not meet her eyes, he just kept watching Paul interacting with the group of girls. He wasn’t happy with the method David had chosen to show her, why couldn’t he have done the same as he’d done with Star? Upon seeing Dwayne, the girls had all but forgotten their troubles and were unable to take their eyes off him. David made his move and approached the group too and the boys now had the girls surrounded. The girls looked up at the boys as if all their dreams had come true and David glanced over at Maria and gave her a devastating smile and then he morphed and displayed his true nature. The girl froze and she then saw the other two boys do the same and then they attacked. There was screaming and hair flying everywhere, and the boys made quick work of the females as to not draw any more people to them but in that short time, they had managed to make one hell of mess. They had blood all over them as they returned to Marko and Maria and she was staring with teary wide eyes at David and she began to shake uncontrollably. She was going into shock. Marko had remained normal and she held onto his arm so tight her fingernails had left deep marks in his skin and she stayed silent, even when had seen them kill. David looked from Maria to Marko and he wiped the blood from his face laughing at her.

‘Maria?’ Marko said but she just looked at him with a blank horrified stare. She was almost catatonic and David walked away.

‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ Paul said and he and Dwayne moved to follow David when she spoke.

‘Max was right.’ She managed to say and they all turned to look at her. ‘You’re dangerous.’ She said to David.

‘Yeah, well, welcome to the family.’ David told her. He watched as tears began rolling down her cheeks and he chuckled again and walked away.


	80. Marko's Girl - Star's POV

‘It’s time boys.’ Star looked up at David and saw he was serious, they were going to take her and show her and Star had run out of time to warn her. Maria looked at Marko and then around at everyone else and she saw the tense facial expression on Star and she quickly looked back at Marko. 

‘Time for what?’ She asked him.

‘This is the reason I wanted you to ditch work.’ Marko informed her and Star felt sick. Pulling more people into their lifestyle didn’t sit well with her, hell, being in it herself still didn’t sit well with her, but she felt almost protective of the girl and she wasn’t quite sure why. A man next to them was pushed into the creek, drawing their attention, and Star took her opportunity to try and signal to Maria not to go but David saw her and he turned his full focus onto her.

‘Please David, not yet.’ Star projected to him. ‘She’s not ready.’

‘I waited with you and look where that got us. She’ll do as I say and so will you.’ He responded to her and she knew it was no use, he was going to do whatever he wanted with Maria regardless of what anyone wanted, including Max apparently. She knew what mood he was in and that, coupled with the speed he’d taken, was going to make for a very volatile vampire. She tried to think of how she could stop this from happening, what she could say to make Maria flee and she thought maybe she could say something on the way. ‘Let’s go.’ He was talking to everyone but he kept his eyes on both Star and Maria and Star felt like he was penetrating her psyche and he saw straight into her soul, and she tried to shut herself off from him, but the E swimming around her brain wasn’t helping her any.

‘Stay here.’ Star heard him say and she silently returned his look.

‘No wait, I want her to come with me.’ Maria spoke up and Star instantly recognised David’s reaction to her protest. His patience was rice paper thin and she prayed Maria could see that it was too, and she didn’t push him too much. ‘Look, I’m not going anywhere…’

‘Star stays here!’ David shut her down in his cold, familiar tone and Star could see he was no one to fuck with right now and that he was getting worse by the minute. ‘You will come with us.’ She felt Maria’s arm slip from her hand and it was like the hope she held for the girl had been pulled at the same time. ‘Don’t leave.’ David said to her in the same tone. ‘I mean it Star, don’t fucking test me tonight.’ She took his warning to heart and watched as they walked away when Maria turned to look at her one last time and Star saw the glint of fear in the seemingly strong girl’s eyes. Star slowly spun on her heel and looked at the people lingering around the creek, feeling lost and a little powerless and although it was a familiar feeling for her, it wasn’t a sensation she was enjoying. She heard Axl announce that the next song would be their last and she walked up to the clearing to watch them finish their set and she listened as they belted out ‘Paradise City.’ She was still peaking on the pill and the dance she had renewed her happy little buzz. There was nothing she could do about the Maria thing and, really, she was Marko’s problem anyways. The lights went out and the crowd cheered and while some dispersed, others lingered and she wondered how long she was going to have to wait there on her own. The breeze had picked up and she suddenly remembered her jacket, where had she left her jacket? She couldn’t even remember the last time she had it and she began looking around the spot where they had been standing at the beginning of the concert for it. She was mildly annoyed being unable to locate it, it was an item she really liked and she wanted it back. Then, suddenly, she sensed another vampire around her and she scanned her surroundings, looking for which one of the boys David had sent back to track her, when a familiar face appeared out of the crowd, half smiling at her and she froze. It was Zac. He walked up to her and she raised her eyebrow and looked at him.

‘Hello Star.’

‘Do you have a death wish?’ She asked and he gave her a David-like smirk. ‘What are you doing here Zac?’

‘I came to talk to you.’ He said and she looked back at him, giving him a bemused expression. ‘You know you’re going to have to come back, right? That you don’t have a choice.’ She continued to stare at him without saying anything. ‘Max is going to fuck with Paul’s head until he either comes back or goes crazy and, just by the look of that guy, it won’t take long. He looks like he’s on the edge anyways, and once he’s done with him, he’ll start on you. He is determined to get what he wants.’

‘David.’ She said what he hadn’t.

‘Yeah, David.’ He confirmed.

‘Did you already know you were related to him?’ Zac went to respond but he hesitated and she saw truth. ‘Oh, my God, you did.’

‘Not exactly. I knew something was up with the way Max would favour me and with some of the things he would say sometimes but I didn’t know exactly what it was until that night.’ He admitted and she looked away.

‘How did you know I was here?’ She questioned him. She hadn’t even known where David was going to take her tonight, did this guy have a tracker on her or what?

‘I read you and knew where you were.’ Zac answered.

‘OK, how can you do that? You could do it before I had even turned and the only other person that could do that was David, and that’s only because he’s my sire, you’re not.’ She said, annoyed they were even there. Her happy buzz was now a distant memory having been replaced with a paranoid discontent.

‘Max linked me with you when he turned me. He knew you were still alive and that I would be able to track you easier because you didn’t know me. He wasn’t sure if David had survived and I guess he figured David would find you if he was still alive… and he was right. Why won’t he just come back? Max isn’t that bad.’

‘After a century, you may not find Max that accommodating either. David won’t do anything anyone tells him to do if he doesn’t want to.’ She informed him of a home truth about his great uncle.

‘He is a feisty fucker, isn’t he?’ Zac said, with a sarcastic smile.

‘You have no idea.’ Star half smiled at him, wiping away the stray hairs blowing in her face.

‘Star, we’re here to take you back.’ He turned serious again.

‘We?’ She asked, feeling a little nervous now.

‘Yeah, we.’ Mitch said over her shoulder, giving her a fright. She turned to see him holding her jacket. She looked down at it before she took it and she looked back up at him. They’d been here all night. It must have been because of the pills that none of the boys picked up on them being here. 

'Look, you need to leave and pretend you couldn’t find me. If any of the boys catch you guys here, they’ll kill you. Really, I’m not worth dying for. You both saw what happened at Max’s house.’

‘I felt it.’ Zac added, feeling his ribs and she had a pang of guilt soar through her.

‘That was nothing. David will kill you, he’ll kill you just to spite Max.’ She said to him seriously. ‘Let Max and David fight it out, this goes way beyond you or me.’ She was feeling really uncomfortable being engaged in this conversation and she needed it to end.

‘We don’t have a choice. Max wants him back, he wants all of you back, but especially him and we are being ordered to help him. He’s not going to back off until he wins.’ Mitch said and he realised she was fidgeting and her eyes were darting around and Zac saw it too. She semi rolled her eyes and ran her hands through her hair, making a few pieces fall on to her face.

‘Have you fed since Max?’ Zac asked her and she nodded. She went to say from David but she stopped herself, she didn’t need to give them anymore information then they already had. 

‘When?’ He asked.

‘It doesn’t matter.’ She told him looking away, and clenching her teeth.

‘How’s that pill going?’ Mitch asked her and she shot her eyes over to him. ‘You’re smashed girl.’ She clenched her back teeth together tight, not wanting them to notice her level of vulnerability but it was too late. Mitch had voiced it and she wanted to leave. ‘They leave you, a new vampire, out here alone smashed on a pill? I thought you said David was smart.’ Mitch mocked both her and David and Zac minutely shook his head in disbelief but she didn’t say anything.

‘Here. I’ve got something for you.’ Zac threw a small flask at her, which she clumsily caught. ‘It might compliment the state you are in.’

‘What is it?’ She asked sceptically.

‘It’s a gift from Max.’ He answered her. ‘And it is a gift Star, don’t take it for granted.’ She didn’t like this, any of it. She didn’t like being here, knowing what was happening with Maria or being found like this by these two and she was beginning to think she might snap. ‘Drink up.’

‘I’ve got to go.’ She lied, avoiding both of their eyes and putting her jacket on.

‘You do, come on.’ Zac held out his arm to her and she stopped and looked at it then up at him. ‘You have no choice.’

‘I’m not going with you.’ She denied him.

‘You have no choice.’ Mitch repeated Zac’s words only with a harsher tone that she couldn’t ignore and she let out a frustrated sigh.

‘Ugh, David demands that I stay here, you’re demanding I go with you, why can’t I just do what I want to do? Go where I want to go? I did what everyone wanted and turned but it doesn’t seem to have made a difference.’ She was starting to lose it, she had had enough of this and was definitely not mentally prepared to deal with any of this right now. She’d already had a serious bout of paranoia about David and Zac and Mitch were the last people she wanted to be around.

‘He has you know.’ Zac said and she stared at him annoyed.

‘What?’ She asked him exasperated, not really wanting to know what he was eluding to.

‘And he will again. He can’t help himself when he’s out with his boys.’

‘Stop.’ She said. The prick was reading her mind again and she hated it.

‘He loves you, but he’s in love with controlling you, with owning you.’ His words were feeding her paranoia and she didn’t want to listen but she couldn’t help it.

‘Stop it Zac, you don’t know what you are talking about. You don’t even know him.’ She tried to dismiss the credibility of what he was saying.

‘You don’t know what I know about him, but I know you and I know you have cheated on him. You cheated on your husband as soon as you were married to him.’ How the fuck did he know that? She felt like she was going to vomit.

‘No, I didn’t.’ She lied again. What was he trying to do?

‘You tried to sleep with me that night at Max’s.’ He said, looking very much like David in his all-knowing superior juxtaposition.

‘I never wanted to sleep with you.’ She laughed nervously. Had she? She tried to think back to that night and all she could really remember was waking up to David raging and kicking Zac. Why was she in bed with him? She couldn’t even remember going to bed that night let alone going to bed with Zac. He was making her paranoia soar and her anxiety was quickly following but she quickly had a moment of clarity. ‘No, I was waiting for David, he’d told me he was coming. There’s no way I…’ She stopped talking but the thought continued to flow and it was too late. He could see her memory like he was watching a TV episode.

‘No way that you would do it again after what he did to you last time?’ He hinted.

‘I’m not doing this.’ She spun around to walk away but Mitch stepped in her way and stopped her.

‘What did he do, Star?’ Zac asked her, already knowing the answer but wanting her to admit it to him.

‘Nothing.’ She had no intention of giving him any more ammunition than he already had. Zac moved behind her and leaned in close to her ear, so close she could feel his breath on her skin.

‘I know what he did.’ She closed her eyes in embarrassment. ‘Star, come with me and I’ll never let it happen again. Max will never let him do that again.’ She opened her eyes again.

‘Yeah, that’s what David said. I don’t believe him or Max. And I don’t believe you.’

‘What the fuck is this?’ Charlie’s voice disturbed them and they both looked up at him, Zac smiling at the newbie and preparing himself for the onslaught.


	81. Turning Point - David's POV

As David walked back towards the concert site, he didn’t feel the satisfaction he thought he was going to have. Instead, there was something off or missing, he didn’t know which, and it was making him a little pissed off. All he wanted to do now was get stoned and go to sleep, he didn’t even know if he could be bothered with a shag anymore but he’d wait till he saw Star again to decide on that one. 

‘So, can I get mine now?’ Paul called out to David.

‘Your what?’

‘My piece of ass.’ Paul laughed. ‘Marko got his and he’s the youngest.’ Paul almost sounded like he was complaining and David smiled.

‘You aint getting one.’ David teased him.

‘What? Why not?’ 

‘I can only imagine what you would wanna bring back Paul. I wanna try and keep some decorum in this group.’ David said and Dwayne laughed. ‘Besides, do you really want to be stuck with only one chick?’

‘Nah, sex on tap is what I want.’ Paul admitted. ‘You’ve got Star and you still do whatever you want.’ David slid his ice cold eyes over to his brother.

‘Yeah, well she hasn’t exactly been the most faithful spouse, but now I think she knows to do as I say, not as I do. I’m not having two girls bitching about what we get up to. You have sex on tap every time you leave the cave anyways.’

‘What about Maria?’ Paul again sounded whiney.

‘You wanna fuck Maria?’ David asked raising an eyebrow. ‘Marko’s in love, he ain’t gonna be breaking her heart any time soon.’ David said, feeling a twinge of jealousy of his brother’s new innocent and untainted love and remembering when he had that with Star. ‘No, Dwayne is next. Have you found Kelly yet?’ David turned and asked Dwayne and Dwayne shook his head and took a drag of the cigarette he was holding. Dwayne’s answer surprised David, Dwayne was a tracker and he should have found her by now. David walked out into the clearing from the forest and saw the gathering of people in the spot where they’d been standing earlier on in the evening and he instantly smelled blood, but it wasn’t normal blood. Something was wrong and he halted their stride.

‘Paul, go see what’s going on.’ He told him. If there were cops there, David wasn’t going to go anywhere near it but when he looked over at Paul all covered in blood, he thought twice. ‘Wait, Marko, you go see what’s going on.’ Marko was loathed to leave Maria’s side right now but he knew he had no choice so he turned to her and told her he’d be back in a minute.

‘No.’ She said, clinging to him.

‘It’s OK.’ He reassured her and he kissed her, to the hoots of Paul. Marko stepped away and Paul sauntered over to her, almost drunk feeling the full effects of his feed, and he placed his arm around her shoulder.

‘It’s alright bro, I’ll take care of her.’ Paul laughed and David looked over at him to see Maria start crying again.

‘Go!’ David ordered, rolling his eyes over yet another girl who was going to cry around him. Marko walked over to the crowd and peered over the shoulders of the people to see a man lying on the ground with his head twisted at an unnatural angle. He knew instantly it was Charlie and he heard people saying the cops were on their way.

‘Oh fuck, Dave, we got a problem.’ Marko projected. ‘It’s Charlie, and he ain’t lookin good.’

‘What do you mean?’ David asked, looking over at Dwayne who dropped his cigarette butt and pushed his hair from his face. ‘Where’s Star?’

‘Fuck knows, but the kid’s got a broken neck and someone’s called the cops and probably an ambulance. He’s lookin’ pretty bad, you should come see this.’

‘What the fuck?’ Paul said, dragging his brain away from his wasted thoughts and clicking back into what was going on, when suddenly Star burst into David’s consciousness, her scream reminiscent of the night she turned, and David knew this was all Max’s doing. It had to be.

‘Dwayne, stay here with Marko and get the kid out of here as soon as you can.’ He turned to Paul, ‘You two come with me.’

David headed back into the woods and let out a frustrated sigh before he attempted to contact the bain of his existence.

‘Where are you?’ David asked his elder.

‘Northern parking lot. I’m waiting for you.’ Max’s melodic voice replied and David took a deep breath in, knowing he was going to have to have it out with him, once and for all. David shot up into the air and was dropping into the parking lot within minutes to find Max was leaning against his shiny red Corvette with one of his new boys on the ground a few feet away from him, struggling to get up.

‘Where is she?’ David asked and Max just smiled at him as he inspected his glasses and cleaned the lenses before he placed them back on his face.

‘Oh David, since when did everything become all about Star and not about you and I? Have you forgotten what she did to you?’ Max taunted him.

‘She’s my wife. She’s turned and she won’t do anything like that again.’ David stated.

‘She was your new bride when she disappeared in Las Vegas to spend the night with Michael. The other Michael. The only thing that’s changed is the person she’s cheated on you with.’ Max reminded him and the muscles in David’s neck tensed. How did Max know about that? ‘Even marrying her hasn’t made her loyal to you.’

‘Where is she?’ David repeated, feeling more and more pissed off.

‘She left… With your brother’s boy.’ Max took delight in telling him that and David could see it but, with the way she screamed for him, he knew she hadn’t gone willingly.

‘Where did he take her?’ David asked through semi clenched teeth and Max looked over David’s shoulder at Paul and Maria slowly approaching them and he quietly chuckled.

‘David, what are you doing? Your head is so fucked up by a girl who has cheated on you and tried to kill you. Twice. So much so, that you have even married her to try and control her. And now, what? You have inducted yet another female into the fold? Did you think that I wouldn’t know? That by choosing Maria, you were in some way sticking it to me?’ Max shook his head. ‘Are you trying to start your own pack? Possibly have your own purebloods? Is that what you want?’ David stood there listening to him and glaring at him, boiling inside that Max, once again, knew what he didn’t want him to. Max pushed off from the side of his car and took a step towards him. ‘Oh David, I guess I never told you. Made vampires can’t have children, only purebloods can produce offspring, which is why I wanted Lucy so badly. I am old enough and been around long enough to have learned not to father my own purebloods until I was absolutely sure and I knew she was the one. But you? I made you…’ Max took another step closer and he was now so close that David turned his head. ‘Which means when Star was pregnant, it wasn’t to you.’ Max whispered and David looked back at his maker, a mixture of fury and pain buried deep in his usually unemotional eyes. Max smiled and stepped past him, eyeballing Maria as he walked around her and he stopped next to Paul and silently spoke to him, blocking David out, before he strode back towards his car. ‘Come back to me David. Let me take care of things for a while.’ David felt a familiar sensation come over him as Max spoke, a comforting security that he hadn’t experienced in decades and he reached into his pocket for a cigarette, a layer of tension melting from him. He felt like he could breathe again.

‘Dave, we managed to get him out of there before the cops came but it didn’t go unnoticed and he’s gonna be fucked for a while.’ Dwayne’s voice interrupted them and David lit his smoke.

‘Let me take care of that. Mitch made a careless mistake, one I will not tolerate, hence his incapacitation.’ Max motioned to the boy and David blew out a lungful of smoke as he studied the young vampire still on the ground and he wondered what Max had done to him to have him still down. ‘David, take the boys and go. Let off some steam. I will sort Charlie and get Star under control and when you return, we can start fresh.’ The thought of getting away for a week, or a month, of debauchery with his mates was supremely appealing to David right now. Things had been pretty shit and he found himself actually beginning to consider Max’s offer, but then he snapped himself out of it and threw his cigarette to the ground. This was all just more of Max’s master manipulation.

‘Where is she, Max?’

‘I told you.’ Max answered him.

‘Where?’ David’s intolerance was back.

‘I don’t know where they went. Though, I do think young Zac has developed a crush on your wife and they seem to have developed somewhat of a bond. Tell me David, how long do you think it will be before she fucks him? A younger, less bitter version of you would be just her type, don’t you think?’ Max’s words were full of a mocking condescension purely designed to get under David's skin. ‘How much more are you going to put up with from her?’ Max let out a breathy laugh at his son, making David bristle at the sound, then he turned to pick up Mitch. David stood and watched Max as he effortlessly dragged the youngster up from the ground and back to his car and he felt numb. Max’s words had hit him like shrapnel from the bomb he had just landed on David. They couldn’t produce children. He couldn’t produce children and Star had been pregnant. Pregnant with another man’s child. His veins crackled with the familiar surge of fresh anger, fuelled even more by the confirmation that the next time he saw Zac would be the last, family or not the guy was dead. David knew it would only antagonise Max but he didn’t care, there was no way he would put up with that from anyone let alone a supposed family member. He chuckled under his breath, remembering his little brother and how, being so close in age with him, he would often try to compete with David for the same girls when they were teens, before David had left. He thought of Star and a wave crashed over him and he suddenly wondered if he should just let her go, leave her to her own devices and to live forever on her own. Go back to living the simple life as Max’s favoured puppet again, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t live knowing she was out there forever without him. She was his and always would be and he would rather see her die than not have her be his. Max peeled out and David turned to face Paul and Maria only to see the ghostly figure of Star walking out from the forest behind them.


	82. Turning Point - Star's POV

‘Nothing. It’s fine. They’re just leaving.’ Star quickly said, as she stepped forward and in between Charlie and Zac.

‘Star, come here.’ Charlie told her and she felt the tension in the air grow, but before she even knew what happened, Mitch sprang towards Charlie and she heard a sickening crack as his head was twisted unnaturally around and Mitch snapped his spine. She watched Charlie fall to the ground and heard somebody scream then suddenly she was swept off her feet and up, out of the clearing and into the dark sky, away from the lingering crowds. They landed in the far end of the northern parking lot. Luckily the place was empty, aside from 2 cars parked about fifty feet away.

‘Let me go!’ Star said, struggling to release herself from Zac’s grip. He reluctantly let her go and she stepped away and turned to glare at the two boys with a disgusted disbelief at what had just happened. ‘What is wrong with you?! You can’t just go around killing people out in the open.’ She chastised Mitch.

‘He’s not dead. A snapped neck won’t kill him, it’ll just maim him for a while.’ Mitch retorted, dismissing her complaint.

‘What you did was careless and stupid. I already have the cops looking for me and you go and cause a scene like that?’ She was appalled. ‘David was going to kill you guys anyways but now he’ll tear you both apart, and you know what? You deserve it.’

‘Is that right?’ A voice came from behind her and she spun to see Max standing there and, although Star felt a little sick seeing him, her over wasted attitude and annoyance overrode her initial reaction and she turned to face him.

‘Yeah, they do. It seems you can’t keep control over any of your boys.’ She fired at him and he glared back at her. ‘You know David as well as I do and there is no way he is going to just accept this.’

‘I know him better than you do and he will accept whatever I want him to.’ Max began, asserting his power over the situation. ‘I will push him until he snaps if I have to. I always get what I want and if that means I have to torture all of my primary boys to get him to do as I want, I will.’ Star rolled her eyes away, thinking about Lucy. ‘Oh, I got her too and you would be wise to watch your tone around me young lady.’ He said, almost casually, reading her mind, and she shot her head back around to look at him. ‘How do you think I felt about the mess he left in my house? Does he not deserve some retribution for that?’ He asked her with a powerful yet condescending tone.

‘No. He came to get me, me and Paul.’ She defended her position.

‘It was futile.’ He snapped back.

‘Just let him go. You don’t need him anymore, you have these guys now.’ She tried to reason with him but to no avail.

‘Don’t you assume to know anything about me. Just as you are his, he is mine, only I have invested a Century’s worth of time and energy into him and he is not going anywhere.’ He said, with a matter of fact authority. ‘Now, call for him.’

‘What?’ She asked him.

‘Call for him Star. He will follow you to the end of the Earth if you led him there.’ She stood there staring at him, the reality of his statement hitting her. ‘Call for him to come for you.’

‘No, I’m not calling him.’ She remained defiant and folded her arms. As conflicted as she was about David, she suddenly felt a little protective of him and didn’t want Max to corrupt him again.

‘If you don’t call him, you will bear witness to my wraith so you will know what will come to you after you have watched all the rest die. Don’t forget Star, you mean nothing to me, you are merely a pawn to get my son back otherwise I have no use for you.’ He warned her and she stood there silently but she dropped her stance when she saw the gold flicker in his irises. Her defiance annoyed him and he turned to look at Zac.

‘Did you give it to her?’ Max asked him.

‘Yeah, but she didn’t drink it. We got interrupted.’ Zac replied, which was met with a swift and firm backhand, breaking his cheekbone and splitting the skin. Max’s explosive reaction made her jump and her heartbeat quickened in fear.

‘When I give you an instruction, you follow it.’ He roared at the young boy and Mitch let out a small snicker to which Max responded by launching at him with lightning fast speed and Mitch was on the ground with a dislocated elbow within a second, with Max leering above him. ‘As for you, you dumb fuck, don’t you ever draw attention with that kind of behaviour in public again. Max raged just inches from the boy’s face, his fangs elongated and fury blazing in his eyes. Star stepped back and took a quick glance at Zac before she took off up towards the stars that littered the sky.

The cold air rushed past her cheeks as she sped as fast as she could back towards the clearing. She was aware of something coming up fast behind her and, being sure it was Max, she was terrified.

‘David!’ She projected to the only one who could save her from the predator gaining on her, but before she could get a response, she was roughly grabbed and slammed straight down into the trees, snapping branches on her way to the cold hard earth below. Upon hitting the ground, she heard painful popping sounds in her chest and she felt winded and was now finding it hard to breathe. She tried to gather herself and stand up but she found it was too painful to put any weight on her left arm and she groaned in pain.

‘You just don’t get it do you?’ The voice surprised her because it wasn’t Max questioning her, but Zac and she then knew that had it have been Max chasing her, she would be dead.

‘Ow.’ She coughed, sitting up and glancing up at him.

‘Yeah, well you’ve probably snapped a few ribs.’ She felt like she’d been stabbed in her chest and it hurt every time she moved. ‘Drink what’s in your pocket, it will help you heal quicker.’ He told her and she pulled out the flask and consumed the contents. She would do just about anything to take her pain away right now. ‘Where did you think you were going?’ He asked her once she was finished.

‘Back to David.’ She strained as she tried to stand up. Zac walked to her, took her hand and harshly pulled her to her feet. ‘Ahhh!’ She cried. ‘Careful!’

‘Shut up Star.’ He all but barked at her. ‘I’ve just about had enough of you. Every time I see you, I end up getting hurt.’

‘Well stop seeing me then. I told you I wasn’t worth it.’ She said sarcastically but when she got no response, she studied him and she noticed a sadness in his eyes and she stopped.

‘I can’t.’ He said quietly and in that moment, she again saw how similar he was to David, or maybe how David would have been before Max had gotten to him. He had a quiet vulnerability about him, one that hadn’t been tainted by decades of killing. One she sometimes still saw in David when he slept and looking at Zac now made her wonder how similar David’s brother Sebastian had been to them both.

‘I’m sorry.’ She found herself saying. ‘I tried to tell you to leave, to pretend you couldn’t find me.’ She reminded him.

‘Max would know I was lying.’ He admitted, his eyes finding the ground.

‘Give me time to leave and then he won’t know because you won’t know.’ She proposed to him and he laughed under his breath.

‘Max will kill you. You only hold a limited value for him and if you prove to be too much trouble, he will kill you whether he has David back or not.’ He told her the truth.

‘Don’t worry about me. Look, I can handle myself. You just need to stay out of the firing line.’ She said as she reached up to his slowly healing cheek and he brought his hand up to touch hers and keep it there.

‘I will not let him hurt you.’ His words were just above a whisper and she began to feel something she shouldn’t.

‘Zac, I have David for that.’ She said pulling her hand away but he held onto it.

‘I won’t let him hurt you either.’ He told her and she briefly felt a tingle in her stomach, one that told her that she was on dangerous ground and it alarmed her.

‘Zac… You can’t do this.’ She shook her head and stepped back. ‘You don’t know David, he is very protective over me. You’re only feeling like this because Max has linked you to me, it’s not real.’ She tried to get him to see some sense and he let out an awkward laugh and backed up to lean against a tree.

‘It goes a little deeper than just Max linking me to you, Star.’ He began and she stood still, watching him and he looked away. ‘Ha, he um… You remember the night you came to the house? The night Mitch gave you the drink?’ He looked back at her and she nodded. ‘Yeah, well, Max told me to drink from you that night.’ Suddenly she couldn’t breathe, not because of her ribs, she didn’t want to hear what he was saying.

‘What?’ She asked him, a deep sinking feeling taking over her stomach.

‘Yeah, he wanted to make our connection stronger so I fed from you. I didn’t know you, I just knew about the whole Michael thing and what you had done. I didn’t really care about you. I figured David would come back and you would be killed anyways but as soon as I tasted your blood, I became enlightened to the appeal you bestow for David and why he holds onto you so tightly. I’d never had anything like it. Then when you turned, I’d never seen anyone turn before and it...’ He trailed off.

‘Zac, that never should have happened. Max’s blood was too strong and I was way out of control. I needed David with me when I turned. You never should have come after me… Oh my God, that’s how you knew where I was.’ She just realised how he had been doing all the things he had and knowing all he did about her. ‘Zac, I belong to David. I have been his girl since I was 16 years old, I’m even married to him now and you are related to him. Nothing between you and I will ever happen. Oh God, whatever you do, you cannot tell David, or anyone else, you feel like this.’ She said quickly, the gravity of what he was saying now hitting her like a freight train. ‘I have to go.’ She spun on her heel, her chest feeling a bit better.

‘You now have my blood in you.’ He announced bluntly and she froze.

‘What? No, I don’t, Zac, I have to go.’ She said, dismissing his comment. She knew she had only had David’s blood because he wasn’t letting her have anything else and she didn’t have time to talk with him any longer. He pushed off the tree and bent down to pick up the flask laying on the ground before holding it up to her. She stared with horror at the vessel she had just drank from.

‘Wasn’t that Max’s blood?’ She asked him cautiously.

‘Some was and some was mine.’ He admitted.

‘Oh God, Zac, no. Why would you do that?’ She was shocked and fought to control her instinctual reaction.

‘For Max, it’s about David; If Max can control you, he can control David. For me, it’s a little more personal. For me it’s so I will always know where you are.’ Star couldn’t believe what she was hearing, he had just added a whole other dimension to her predicament and it was the last thing she needed or wanted. She needed to get out of here and she turned away and began to stagger away from him. She felt the familiar rush of wind and turned, expecting to see David there but instead she found herself alone. Zac had gone and she exhaled a sigh of relief and continued to make her way out of the woods.


	83. Windless Sails - David's POV

David looked away with disdain as Star almost staggered towards him, a second wave of contempt washing over him and Max’s words repeating in his head. ‘Women vampires are trouble…’ ‘…a girl who has cheated on you and tried to kill you. Twice.’ ‘…Star was pregnant, it wasn’t to you.’ ‘How much more are you going to put up with from her?’ He sighed and looked back at his still wild haired brother and felt like he was about to tip over the edge. He was finally coming down off the buzz and he knew already it was going to be a harsh crash.  
‘Let’s go.’ He said to Paul and he turned to walk away just as Star reached them. David needed his space, not only from her but from everybody right now, his head was spinning. Max’s words were taking root deep in David’s head and, once again, the old man had managed to throw him off kilter. David could feel the anger and resentment he had for her begin to return within him and a steel resolve settled over him. Max was right, she had been nothing but a pain in his ass ever since he’d shown her the truth of what they were. She had lied to him, caused discord amongst his boys, cheated on him multiple times, and even tried to kill him twice. For fucks sake, what the fuck was he doing? She should be nothing but bones and a distant memory by now and, yet she was still causing him grief. Why couldn’t he let her go? He knew he should, he wanted to, but the thought of being without her still had him feeling uncomfortable and somewhat anxious and he wouldn’t let himself feel like that. He wanted to leave, just get out like Max had suggested, and go to Miami and melt into the South for a while but instead he shot upwards and disappeared into the black sky, his coat flapping behind him. He landed back near his bike to find the place deserted and Marko’s and Dwayne’s bikes missing but before he could even call them to find out where they were, Paul and an increasingly numb looking Maria arrived shortly after and almost instantly, she began to freak out and was frantically looking around for Marko.   
‘Where’s Marko?!’ She cried. ‘Marko!’ Paul got on his bike and started it up and Maria screamed for Marko again. David watched her and recognised tonight had been all too much for her and, after what Max had told him, his desire for her to join them was gone and he no longer cared for her. She now held no value for him but as she knew what they were and he was now stuck with her and that realisation had him rolling his eyes away and mounting his own metal steed, roaring it to life.   
‘Star!’ He demanded for her to hurry up and wisely she didn’t keep him waiting. She dropped down beside him and stood awkwardly next to his bike, looking at Maria, who was now in full on melt down mode.  
‘Star!’ Maria cried upon seeing her. ‘Where’s Marko?!’ Tears were streaming down her face and David had definitely had a gutsful of her tonight.  
‘Get on.’ He said, half-heartedly, and Star climbed on behind him, but she barely touched him as she held onto his jacket and her action, however mild it was, didn’t go unnoticed by him so he gunned his throttle, forcing her to wrap her arms around him or she’d fall off. He hurtled towards the cave at breakneck speeds, arriving just as the thick black clouds that had returned above the Bluff began to throw forth their contents, but he didn’t care, the water felt good to him for once. Star got off from behind him and as soon as Paul arrived, Maria practically fell off his bike and both girls took off towards the cave but still David sat upon his bike his eyes cast downward and feeling somewhat numb.  
‘Are we leaving the bikes here?’ Paul asked him, looking up at the drops falling down from the sky but David didn’t answer him. ‘You ok?’ Paul asked, wiping the water beginning to slide down his face. David looked up at him, but he didn’t say anything, and Paul could sense his discomfort. ‘Come on Bro.’ Paul slapped David’s shoulder. ‘This rain is ruining my hair.’ Paul laughed making David’s lip curl up. He followed Paul down into to cave and as he walked, his legs felt heavy and he was just over everything and he quickly realised he didn’t want to be here. He lumbered into the cave and saw everyone hovering over what was left of Charlie on the couch and David strode over and took a look at the kid for himself. He was fucked, Max’s pleb had done a number on him and David now understood Max’s displeasure cause he’d done it in public and as David looked at him, he almost instantly concluded that he was over Charlie too and he reached over and snapped off a portion of the pallet leaning up against the wall and he launched the sharp edge directly into his heart and he heard Paul cry out before he stepped back and watched Charlie die. It wasn’t long before he became aware of the eerie silence in the room and he looked around, his eyes resting quickly upon Star and he saw her look of indignation which annoyed him.   
‘What?’ He felt like she was judging him, they all were, and he wasn’t having it. ‘Ugh…’ He was frustrated, and he walked out into the darkness of the cave to get away from everyone. He needed to think, to absorb everything that Max had said to him because he had, in essence, totally changed his trajectory and plans moving forward. He sat in the rafters of one of the caverns deep inside the cave. It wasn’t long before Dwayne encroached on his solitude.  
‘Don’t Dwayne, I can do whatever the fuck I want without anyone’s approval.’ David stated acknowledging his brother’s presence without looking at him. Dwayne held his tongue as he sat beside him, dangling his feet over the edge above the white waves surging through the rocks. David wasn’t in the mood for any conversation and anything Dwayne had to say about David’s actions wasn’t going to be taken well anyways so they just sat there smoking and listening to the rain reverberate off the cavern walls. Paul was right, it was pelting down out there. Ten minutes passed, and David still hadn’t said a word then in a whirl of dust and hair, Paul broke the silence in the loft as he landed behind them.   
‘Spending some quality quiet time together?’ He said coming to a halt when he saw them both sitting there together in silence. Dwayne gave him a sideways glance while David continued to watch the swirling water beneath him. Paul perched on a rock jutting out from the cave wall adjacent to them and quickly looked bored.  
‘I got rid of the kid.’ Paul announced. He felt awkward using his name, it made him feel more comfortable to impersonalise the boy and hopefully David would see him as different to Paul and Dwayne in some vain hope that David wouldn’t do that to them.  
‘You’re OK Paul. I wouldn’t have spent so much time getting you back just to kill you.’ David said addressing Paul’s unspoken concern. David’s words semi comforted Paul and he nodded reassuringly to himself. Dwayne threw his cigarette butt into the water, the small glowing tip extinguishing before hitting the water and he looked up at Paul.  
‘Where’s Marko?’  
‘He’s taken his lady out.’ Paul said, omitting Star’s input. David wouldn’t cope with that information right now.  
‘In this shit?’ Dwayne asked referring to the weather. Paul just shrugged and got up.  
‘Well, you two can have fun up here but it’s cone o’clock for me.’ He said and disappeared back down into the main cave.  
‘Coming?’ Dwayne got up to follow Paul but hesitated to see if David would join him only David shook his head, his eyes still locked down at the water. Dwayne departed, and David was left all alone again. He felt exhausted, like he hadn’t slept in months exhausted. He didn’t want to talk to or deal with anyone, he didn’t even want to think right now, and he certainly didn’t want to acknowledge the nagging pulling feeling he had in the back of his mind emanating from his maker. He just wanted to sleep so he retreated out to their sleeping quarters and closed his eyes to the world.


	84. Windless Sails - Star's POV

Star was breathing easier, but she was still hurting as she made her way through the trees. She needed to see David, to lay eyes on him and make sure everything was OK. Zac’s words had scared her, they had the potential to change everything between David and her and, although she was still felt somewhat angry with David, she didn’t want any more turmoil in her world right now. She reached the edge of the woods and emerged out into the parking lot to see David, Paul and Maria standing together and, even though Max was gone, she could feel the tension from where she stood. David’s cold stare glanced over at her and away again and her heart sank as she knew that look. It was too late, and he already knew. She didn’t know what, but Max had obviously said something to him, Max seemed to know everything, and she was sure he was as in tune with Zac as he was with David. She was nervous, she didn’t know what to say to him as she approached but before she even had the chance to say anything, David turned and began to walk away from her without even acknowledging her and the next thing she knew, she was standing in the parking lot all alone. David had fled into the sky and Paul followed, taking Maria with him seconds after. She stood there as alone as she felt, and she placed her hand on her eyes and sighed. She was tired and honestly just wanted to go get a motel room alone and sleep for like a week, but she knew she couldn’t. Not only because it would make things between David and her even more tense, but because she was now a monster condemned to exist in the shadows, just like the boys. She knew she had to go with him and play the obedient dutiful wife to keep the peace with her volatile husband, who was about to become even more intolerant due to the fact he would soon be coming down from the mass of drugs he’d taken, so she left and headed towards where David had left his bike. As she sped through the cold air above the trees, his deep voice penetrated her head and demanded her presence and within five minutes, she dropped down near him but as soon as she landed, her attention was immediately taken by a near manic Maria and she stepped towards the girl, concerned for her state of mind.   
‘Star! Where’s Marko?!’ Maria cried, bordering on hysteria and Star glanced around and noticed Marko was nowhere to be seen. She went to try and comfort her, to tell her to stop crying and that it was going to be ok, but she knew she’d be lying. She had no idea if anything was going to be OK for either of them, but the girl had to stop crying, that was one thing Star knew for sure. Star stepped forward, but she halted when David’s harsh tone made her jump.  
‘Get on.’ He demanded, and she sorrowfully backed away from the poor girl and reluctantly got on the back of his bike. He was colder than she thought he would be, he wouldn’t even look at her, and it made her not even want to hold onto him, so she gripped onto his jacket instead of his body, when suddenly he shot the bike forward and she had to hold onto his body lest she fall off the back. David rode slower than she expected after the take off and once they arrived at the Bluff he remained on his bike despite the rain that was now pelting down upon them. Maria practically threw herself off Paul’s bike and ran towards the rickety stairs leading to the cave and Star followed her, leaving David on the Bluff with Paul. The girls walked into the cave and Maria headed straight to Marko, who embraced her, and Star saw Dwayne kneeling next to the couch. It was then she noticed the body on the couch and upon walking closer she saw it was Charlie and she couldn’t believe the boys had managed to get him out of the woods. She moved closer and he looked dead, legitimately dead, and she looked up at Dwayne, who silently looked back at her.  
‘Woo, it’s teaming down out there!’ Paul jumped down the entrance attracting the attention of everyone as he walked over to Dwayne and shook his hair all over him. ‘Fuck!’ Paul said, studying the body on the couch. ‘He’s gonna be out a while, he looks fucked!’ Dwayne pushed Paul’s head away and stood up just as David walked over to them and peered down at the boy’s mangled neck and Star looked at him and thought he looked rather indifferent about the whole scene, which didn’t bode well for Charlie. Seemingly without even thinking, David turned and in one smooth movement, he snapped a section off one of the pallets they had in the cave and spun back around, firing the splintered wood straight into Charlie’s heart and Star jumped. Her hand went to her chest and her jaw dropped at David’s action, she couldn’t believe what she’d just seen him do.  
‘Woah!’ Paul cried, and Maria buried her face in Marko’s jacket. David just stood there, cold and emotionless, and Star felt tears forming and she got really scared. Something had definitely changed, and David had flipped. If he could do that to Charlie, who had done nothing to him, what was he going to do to her, who had done plenty to him. David wasn’t only killing humans, he was now killing his own kind, his own pack even, and that made him supremely unstable. He looked around the silent room and his eyes lay on her.  
‘What?’ He spat uncaringly at her and she didn’t know how to react. ‘Ugh…’ He grunted, and he walked out the back of the cave followed quickly by Dwayne.  
‘Well, fuck.’ Paul said looking at Marko, an awkward laugh escaping his lips.  
‘Have ever you seen him do that before?’ Marko asked Paul, visibly shaken and Paul shook his head.  
‘Nope. But we’d better get this outta here.’ Paul picked up Charlie and flung him over his shoulder.  
‘I’m just gonna help Paul.’ Marko peeled Maria off him and spoke to her but she clung to him.  
‘No! You are not leaving me again!’ She held onto him like her life depended on it and after what Star had just seen, maybe it did.  
‘Look, stay here with Star and I will be back. You’re safe, OK? I love you and I’ll be back.’ He said, and she stood there, tears streaming down her face and she looked like she was going to die if he left.   
‘Star…’ Marko looked over at her and motioned towards Maria and Star looked from Marko to Maria and back again and she nodded slightly, and Marko left after Paul. Maria broke down and Star went to the girl and led her over to her bed and tried to comfort her as best she could, although right now Star felt like she was barely coping herself. She sat and put her arm around Maria until the girl had calmed down and begun to pull herself together. She’d seen David do some really fucked up shit, but he’d always held a sense of loyalty to his pack and him turning on one of his own, was shaking her sensibilities to her core. He was deadly unpredictable now and he was displaying what she knew was underneath, but she’d only seen small glimpses of since she’d known him.  
‘What are they?’ Maria finally spoke after a few minutes and Star didn’t know how to answer her question, or even if she should.  
‘They’re monsters.’ She replied with sadness. She was saying the truth but omitting the fact she was one of them too.   
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Maria sobbed, and Star semi rolled her eyes in guilt.  
‘I wanted to but it’s not my place. I’m not allowed to.’ She, again, was honest with the girl.  
‘How can you and Marko stay here? With them?’ She looked up at Star, disbelief evident in her eyes. ‘How can you be with him?’  
‘I’ve tried to escape but he won’t let me go and the consequences of trying to leave have proven too great.’ She admitted, an involuntary tear welling in her eye as her thoughts went to Laddie. ‘Now I’m here forever.’ She said quietly, twisting the cursed ring of silver around her finger.  
‘Did you marry him?!’ Maria said full of incredulity.  
‘Not by choice.’ Star said honestly, and Maria stared at her in shock.  
‘What else has he made you do?’ Tears began streaming down her face again and Star knew she had to stop talking about this.   
‘Nothing.’ She lied, and it felt like the biggest lie she’d ever told. ‘Listen, you have to stop crying. David really doesn’t like it when girls cry around him, so you have to keep it together when you are around him. OK?’  
‘I’m not going to be around him, I’m not staying here. Marko and I are going to leave, and you need to come with us too.’ Maria stood up and Star creased her eyebrows for a second and then she realised that Maria thought Marko was human. How did she not know?  
‘Maria, Marko is not going to leave them. He’s one of them.’ Star watched as the girl stopped and looked at her.  
‘What?’ She managed, her face going a sickly white.  
‘How did you not know?’ Star asked.  
‘He never… he didn’t go with them when…’ She was struggling to talk, to even think straight, and she was looking a little faint. ‘But I never would have…’ She began to hyperventilate, and she was crying again, and Star stood up and hugged her again.   
‘It’s OK. I’m here and he loves you and will protect you. It’s not as bad as you think.’ Star couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth, but she had to say something to calm this chick down because if Marko, or even worse David, came back and saw her like this they may both end up being carried out like Charlie. ‘But remember what I said about David and crying? You have to get it together.’  
‘Oh God, he’s going to kill me, isn’t he? David’s going to kill me.’ Maria was spinning. ‘Wait… Max. I’m going to go to Max, he was telling David off. He’s got some authority above him and I’ve worked with him. I’m going to go to him.’ She suddenly said, walking away from Star and Star had to pull her back.  
‘You really don’t want to get in between them Maria. That’s a very precarious relationship and you wanna stay out of that. Besides, Marko has chosen you, you can’t leave him now.’ Star reminded her.  
‘Is Max one of them?’ Maria asked but Star kept quiet. ‘I’m not staying here with David. You can but I’m not. Marko can do as he pleases but I’m not going along with this. I’m stronger than you and I’m outta here.’ She declared and suddenly the boys came back, and Marko walked straight over to Maria who scooted out of his grasp.  
‘No, no, no… Don’t touch me.’ She said, and Marko looked straight over at Star.  
‘What did you do?!’ He glared.  
‘She just told me what you didn’t.’ Maria informed him. ‘I’m leaving, and don’t you follow me!’ She stormed out of the cave and Marko stood and watched her leave before he flicked his head towards Star.  
‘You are such a fucking bitch.’ He spat and followed the girl out of the cave.  
‘What did you say to her?’ Paul asked, sounding a little fed up as he plonked himself down on the edge of the fountain.  
‘She was spinning, and I tried to calm her down, tonight was way too much for her, and then after what David did, she was screaming that her and Marko were going to leave and get away from him.’  
‘Yeah… and…’ Paul was bored with her story already.  
‘She didn’t think Marko was one of you and I told her he is, and she didn’t like it.’ She finished.  
‘You’ve been told girl, why won’t you listen?’ Paul asked her, shaking his head. ‘Fucking chicks man…’ He sighed and got up. ‘This is why I will continue to just fuck and feed. Too much fucking hassle.’ Star watched Paul turn and jump up the rocky path out the back of the cave and disappear, leaving her all alone in her cold prison. She looked around uncomfortably, her eyes finding Charlie’s blood stain on the couch and she shuddered slightly. She walked over to her bed but before she lay down, she remembered that Marko and Maria had spent the night there and she got a bit grossed out and she stopped herself. She was feeling sick, not just over the events of the night but the unyielding pain within her was burning like a furnace and she knew what the only thing that would cease it was. She had to feed. The need was so strong it made her feel shaky and panicky and she wanted to cry but she found herself heading out of the cave. She had to find someone to feed on and fast.


	85. Restored Heirarchy - David's POV

David awoke the next night with a smothering, overwhelming need to leave the confines of the cave so, without waking the others, he ventured back out into the fresh cold air of the Bluff. He charged over towards his bike, wiped the water from his seat, got on and blatted off down the dirt path and the further away he got from everyone, the better he began to feel. David kept riding, not really with any destination in mind but anywhere that would keep him from feeling the way he was feeling right now. As he rode through his home, it felt far smaller to him than it ever had before, and he realised he had to leave the seaside town for a while, so he headed up the coast to clear his head when, within the hour, he found himself in the vicinity of Max’s house and, without conscious thought, he pulled up outside his driveway and abruptly stopped. He sat there and watched the leaves blowing around the dark path leading up to the large house for a minute as he tried to comprehend what exactly he was doing here when he heard the deep rumble of another bike and suddenly Dwayne pulled up alongside him. He was surprised to see his brother next to him, he’d had no idea he was nearby let alone had followed him and he felt somewhat vulnerable in the fact that he’d been tracked to this house but he was grateful it had been Dwayne that had done it. Dwayne shut off his bike and pulled out a cigarette and lit it before speaking.  
‘What are you doing here?’ He asked, letting out a large plume of smoke. David didn’t know what to say so he looked back at the swirling leaves and contemplated how he was going to explain himself.  
‘I… need to talk to him. I told Paul I would, I gotta get him off his back.’ He finally said, which was true, he’d told Paul he would speak to Max but there was more, something else had brought him here and even he didn’t know what it was. It was just something he had to do. He flicked his kick stand out, got off his bike and began the strange ominous walk towards the house and upon approaching the entrance, the door opened, and Max stood there as if he was expecting him. Without saying anything, Max stood aside, and David entered the property, walking straight down the hallway towards Max’s living room and out onto his balcony, a cigarette already between his lips by the time he’d stepped outside. Max and Dwayne had followed him, and Max sat in his throne, a half smile spread across his face, while Dwayne stood next to the large fireplace, watching them both. The silent tension between them was creating an odd atmosphere but David was almost oblivious to it and was again focussed on leaves being blown around by the winds coming up from the Pacific Ocean, only this time they were on the large trees that surrounded the house. The house that he swore he would never come back to and that held everything in it that he didn’t want in his life and yet here he was, standing three feet away from that thick lush carpet that he’d spilt so much blood upon mere days ago. What the fuck was he doing here? Even if he’d promised Paul, being here was a mistake. It was then he realised he had nowhere else to go and he looked up and held the eyes of the man who took away his humanity and made him the killer he is today. He held so much hate and anger towards the man, yet he was still standing in front of him and Max just sat silently smirking and watching his favourite son struggling with his emotions before him.  
‘Why?’ David finally said, and Max tilted his head slightly in amusement. ‘Why me? Why did you choose me for this life? With you.’   
‘Well…’ Max snorted a quiet chuckle. ‘It’s only taken you just over a century to ask me that question.’  
‘Max…’ David didn’t have the patience for Max’s distraction tactics.  
‘Fine. William and I had been in Los Gatos for a nearly six months and I had noticed you and what you were up to around town. I knew you would be a perfect companion for him. William was losing his way which was why we had moved to Los Gatos in the first place and I saw that you would be strong enough to take control and guide him back. You were bored and getting into trouble and needed a little guidance yourself.’ David subconsciously nodded his head, remembering William and the things he used to say to him about Max. David had been so young and naïve and had been totally taken in by Max, but he wished he’d listened to William now. Everything William had told him had been correct. ‘The fact it has taken you this long to even ask this question proves how much you embraced the lifestyle and the only reason you are asking me this is because of Star.’ Max paused, letting that sentiment sink in. ‘I was going to bring your brother into the fold with you, but he wasn’t as strong as you were.’ David looked back at him, a little taken back and perturbed that Max had eyed Sebastian up for this life too. ‘He wouldn’t have coped, he was too attached to your mother, but you… You were a free spirit eager to branch out, to live and not afraid of conflict or trouble.’ Max paused. ‘And now a Century later, I finally have two of you. Two versions of you.’   
‘Zac.’ David glared at him. ‘Low blow Max.’  
‘Oh David, get to know him. He is so much like you, yet so different to what you have become. He is very much a mixture of Sebastian and the you of 1870. He has more of your traits than you think.’  
‘Does he just…’ David said sceptically.  
‘You need to give him a chance. What are you afraid of? You will like him. Think of it as a second chance to be with Sebastian.’ Max tried to coax him, but David was still hesitant.  
‘Why would you do that? Find someone from my family? Are you that obsessed with me?’ David asked. ‘What the fuck is wrong with you?’  
‘Watch your mouth. You’re in my house.’ Max warned but David remained stoic. ‘I needed someone to guide my new boys and if I couldn’t have you, I would have someone like you. Someone with your traits but not your cynicism so I did some research and found Zac. It’s amazing what you can find out about someone these days. And now I have both of you. The best of both worlds. The old and the new.’ Max was smug, knowing he’d managed to get under David’s skin.  
‘You don’t have me.’ David reminded him. ‘And back off from Paul too.’  
‘Yes, I do. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.’ David’s blue pools focussed intently on his elder knowing he was right, but he hadn’t quite admitted it to himself yet. ‘And as for Paul, that’s up to you. You come back, and I’ll leave him alone. Otherwise I will torment him until he breaks and when he does, and he will, I will start on your wife. You know I will do it. You remember the state of William in the end.’ David has all but forgotten about what Max had done to William, blocked it from his memory, or maybe Max had done it for him. David had thought William had been weak and disloyal at the time, and considering what he’d just done to Charlie, he wondered if he could do that to someone more substantial in his pack, like Dwayne, or Star, should he find them in the same position. He wondered if that was what being a Head Vampire was all about.  
‘It’s about doing whatever it takes to ensure the sustainability and continuation of the pack.’ Max said, addressing David’s unspoken thoughts. ‘You are in danger David, they know about Star’s blood and they found the body in the club. The bouncer happened to mention the young girl with blood on her running out frantic and screaming, it’s not going to take them long to put two and two together.’ David looked at him, he had been meaning to catch up on what the latest was but hadn’t had a chance. Fuck, things had gotten worse. At least his spree after Laddie hadn’t been connected.  
‘Speaking of that, what the fuck were you thinking letting her make her first kill in a nightclub? On her own? Were you wanting her to fuck up?’ David felt a surge of anger as he challenged Max over his coordination of that night.  
‘Oh, didn’t like that one?’ Max said condescendingly. ‘She was fine, she was with my boys. Or is the real problem that I’d taken that special moment away from you?’ David was eerily still. ‘David, she’d been a half for far too long and you know I don’t tolerate such insubordination. Would you rather I have killed her?’ Max asked baiting David and not expecting a response. ‘How secure is Maria? Has she turned?’ Max took on an authoritative tone and David looked out towards the moon reflecting off the water.  
‘No, but she’s smitten with Marko and he has her wrapped up tight.’ David said unenthusiastically.  
‘Hmmm…. You said the same once.’ Max said, and David looked away and sucked in more smoke. ‘Well, I’m not going to bring up that I told you not to go near her.’ He added, reminding him of his directive and the irony wasn’t lost on David.  
‘Where is Paul?’ Max asked, and David looked at Dwayne.  
‘Ahh… I’m not sure.’ Dwayne said with a nervous honesty in his voice, glad he really didn’t know where Paul was.  
‘And Star?’ Max turned back to David and David sucked in more of his smoke and looked back out to the glass topped sea, not answering him. David felt gut wrenchingly conflicted over her right now and she wasn’t someone he currently wanted to think about.  
‘Listen David, my offer still stands. You boys go, let me take care of everything and when you come back, you and my remaining boys can start fresh. I have many plans for the future.’ David sighed, and his jaw clicked as he clenched his back teeth. He still didn’t trust Max or his motives, he didn’t trust anybody, but he was finding he had no choice. He felt like it was 40 years ago, and Max was questioning him and dictating what he was to do, and David didn’t like it. He looked over at Dwayne, who stood there, the pillar of strength and a permanent support system for David and he felt a sense of relief. Dwayne was making David feel more secure than he’d felt in months. There was a pause of silence in the room and David decided it was time for him to leave.  
‘He’s still scared of me.’ Max laughed to himself, bringing David back to his surroundings.  
‘What?’ David asked him.  
‘Paul. He’s on his way.’ Max smiled. ‘Come, we’ll wait for him in the kitchen.’ David’s eyes flicked over to Dwayne but as Max left, he felt the familiar pull in his stomach and the need to follow. Max was compelling him, David hadn’t been compelled in decades and it honestly surprised him that Max still had that fundamental power over him. Max led them down to his spectacular kitchen and he opened a massive stainless-steel fridge, revealing glass shelves stacked with wine bottles and both David and Dwayne knew that they weren’t filled with wine.  
‘Expecting company?’ David remarked, not expecting a response.  
‘I was. And here you are. I have been expecting you for years.’ Max pulled out a bottle and five crystal rock glasses and half-filled them before he walked out. David stood and looked at the thick red liquid and thought of Star and how she’d drunk Max’s blood before she went out and killed for the first time without him. He touched the sparking glass on the cold black marble bench top and wondered if she’d known what it was before she’d drunk it. If she’d thought of him at all or if she’d been too distracted by Max’s other boys, by Zac. If Max had orchestrated it all so she didn’t think of him. He pushed the glass away from him and looked up at Dwayne.   
‘What’s your feeling, Indian?’ David asked him.  
‘Everything happens for a reason.’ Dwayne said simply and his answer annoyed David. Max walked back in accompanied by a nervous looking Paul and another man, the man who had been on the ground in the parking lot the night before.  
‘Hey bro, not quite where I thought we’d be hanging tonight.’ Paul looked around uncomfortably, walking away from Max and straight over to David.  
‘David, this is Mitch.’ Max introduced the boy to him and David looked him up and down.  
‘Hey,’ Mitch looked up at David, ‘ahh… sorry… about last night, about your friend.’ Mitch said somewhat submissively, and David held his gaze for a second before answering him.  
‘It’s alright. I finished him off.’ David said, almost casually yet his comment was a calculated move. He was interested in the reaction from the boy and from Max, but Max just brushed it off.  
‘Let’s not rehash last night’s events. Let’s have a toast.’ He suggested and picked up one of the glasses, prompting everyone else to do the same. Mitch was the only one who lifted his glass, Paul and Dwayne refrained until they knew what David was going to do. David stared at the glass in front of him, tempting him and he felt like he was falling. He knew if he put that glass to his lips, it would change everything.


	86. Restored Heirarchy - Star's POV

Star woke up drowsy from the night before. She’d chosen a young girl to feed upon, thinking she’d be an easy target, but she wasn’t expecting the fight the girl put up nor was she expecting to feel as bad as what she did right now, but considering the state she’d been in last night, she shouldn’t really be too surprised. The cave was eerily quiet, she couldn’t hear the boys and, if the boys weren’t up, she wondered what time it was. If she felt the way she did, she could only imagine how they were feeling tonight. She got up, hoping that once she started moving that she could shake off the heaviness in her head and feel a bit better. She came out and the cave was black then, climbing up the entrance of the cave, she saw that the moon was high in the sky and she slowly came back into the cave feeling confused. It was night, the boys should be up, even if they were just lying around on the couches but there was no sign of anyone. She wondered if they’d left without her and why they didn’t wake her if they had. Where were they? They wouldn’t have just left her here all alone, David wouldn’t just leave her… Or maybe he would, the way he looked at her in the parking lot and the way he’d dealt with Charlie, something had changed in him and maybe he had left her. After she’d turned, it would be so ironic that he would leave her now. Typical David, once he gets what he wants, he doesn’t want it anymore. She tried to contact him but found she could neither sense nor get through to him and she felt butterflies in her stomach, but not good ones. They were anxious sick butterflies which made her almost panicky. She had to get out of here, being in the cave was making her feel claustrophobic, so she got changed and flew down to main beach to see if she could sense anyone on the Boardwalk.   
After roaming the wooden structure for just over an hour, she still couldn’t pick up on anyone, and she began to feel quite out of place. It was late, later than even she had initially thought and the air coming off the ocean had a cold bite to it. The crowds were fairly thin tonight, reminding her of her first few weeks of being with David after he’d brought her down to Santa Carla and she adjusted her jacket and looked around, feeling more lost and alone than she had in weeks. She turned around and faced the wind, walking slowly back towards the beach and wondered what she was going to do. Her thoughts slid back into the realm of paranoia again with the thought of where David was and what he could be doing. She was certain now that he cheated on her, she had no doubt, but what got to her was why it bothered her. She had fought with her body, mind and soul to never be back in the situation she was now and once he was back she had resisted being with him again and she certainly never wanted to be intimate with him again. She definitely didn’t want to marry him or turn into what she hated the most, yet she couldn’t deny the sick feeling she was experiencing thinking about David being with another girl. She would happily tear her throat out if she found her, if she found any of the many she was sure he’d been with, and it was then she realised with horrifying clarity that she was jealous. She’d never been jealous of him before, it had always been the other way around, but she knew now that she really didn’t want him to be with anyone else. She knew were meant to be together and, although it still felt very one sided in the way that he held the power position within the double standard of their union, she thought that had the potential to change now she had turned and in all his black clad, judgemental glory, she now wanted him for herself. She found herself twisting the turquoise ring adorning her finger as she walked, feeling somewhat secure in the marriage she was in. She decided to go back up to the Bluff, she didn’t want to kill tonight or be out on the Boardwalk, all she wanted to do was go back to the cave and wait for her boys. The thought of being a vampire and wandering this earth without them, without her husband, was now something she couldn’t bear to do.   
She shot up from the sand and into the wind back up towards her home and she returned again to a cold dark cave and her heart sank a little. She lit one of the barrels and walked back into her new bedroom, taking her jacket off as she entered the room when she instantly froze. Lying upon her bed with his legs stretched out and his hands behind his head was Zac and her breathing became a little stifled. She gripped her fingers tightly around the leather in her hands as her brain tried to reconcile what she was seeing.  
‘Hey hun,’ he said smiling, ‘where ya been?’  
‘What are you doing here?’ She said in hushed tones, as if she was hiding the fact he was there.  
‘I came to see you.’ He said lazily. ‘Wanna join me?’ He asked, patting the bed next to him.  
‘What? No. David will be back soon, they all will. You have to leave.’ She answered him, fearing what would happen should David find him here, especially in their room and on their bed.   
‘No, he won’t.’ He said, bluntly and she looked at him slightly suspiciously and he gave her one of David’s half smiles. ‘You don’t even know where he is, do you?’ He almost mocked her as he read her mind again, but she didn’t answer him. She just stood there and watched him warily. ‘I do.’ He stated with a raise of his eyebrows and he paused, waiting for her to ask him. She stayed deadly still, not taking her eyes off him and dreading the answer he was all too eager to tell her.  
‘Where is he?’ She asked, a slight shake in her voice.  
‘He’s with Max. Dwayne and Paul are with him.’ He advised her, swinging his legs off the bed and standing up.  
‘What?’ She asked, breathlessly and he chuckled at her reaction as he walked closer to her. His enjoyment of her discomfort annoyed her, but her dismay and confusion of the information he’d just delivered to her was larger than Zac’s judgement.   
‘It appears David has had a change of heart regarding our elder and is back on speaking terms with him.’ Star’s eyes found the ground, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Why would David go back there? ‘What’s the matter Star? You don’t look very happy.’ Zac asked her, the condescension in his tone was palpable and she looked up at him.  
‘Why is he there?’ She asked, looking a little shell shocked.  
‘I don’t know, he just showed up wanting to speak to him.’ Her mind was racing, what would David want to speak to Max about? She felt even more sick than she did before. ‘Maybe he came around and realised that Max isn’t that bad of a guy.’ Zac offered.  
‘Not to you.’ She answered solemnly. She knew Max never wanted her to be one of them and now he had all of his boys back, he would really have no use for her which put her in a very precarious and dangerous position.   
‘Look, I’m here to tell you, no matter what, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Like I told you last night, I care about you, obviously more than either David or Max do, and I will protect you.’ She looked at him a little incredulously while, at the same time, feeling quite numb.   
‘And like I told you last night, David will do that for me. I am his wife Zac, you know this, and you shouldn’t be here saying this.’ She shook her head and backed away from him, but he stepped forward and even closer to her.  
‘Then why are you here alone while he is there? Why did he leave to go reconnect with Max without you?’ She didn’t know but she was disturbed that Zac would come here and shove this truth in her face, especially now when she had come to the conclusion she had. Why would he do that? Why would they both do what they are doing? She felt horribly manipulated and honestly quite scared. ‘And how do you think they are celebrating tonight?’ He asked, refuelling her infidelity paranoia and she stopped and looked into his familiar yet different glinting blue eyes.  
‘Please don’t do this.’ She whispered to herself as much as to him and she closed her eyes, then she looked up quickly at him. ‘Why are you here and not with them? You are one of them, you are one of Max’s favourites.’ She asked him with a crease in her eyebrows.  
‘I left once I knew what was going on. I needed to know if you were OK.’ He told her, sliding his hand down her arm and taking her hand and she let him. Her fragile stability had been shattered and now she didn’t know how she felt about anything. This wasn’t what she thought David had planned, it was the complete opposite of what he had said he would do, and on top of this, she didn’t know why he was avoiding her. ‘Are you OK?’ She looked up at him and shook her head, feeling like she was going to break, and he took her in his arms and held her.   
‘You deserve better than him. You should be being treated like a Queen, not like a possession Star.’ He was appealing to all of her insecurities and saying all the right things, things she knew and had longed to hear since she was a teenager, especially in light of what she now knew David did behind her back. The way she felt about David was the textbook definition of a love hate relationship. She pushed away and out of his grasp and pulled her hair up into a ponytail.   
‘Then why is he doing this to me?’ She asked him, a touch of annoyance in her voice.   
‘He’s a vampire, an old vampire, and it’s what we are supposed to do. We use, abuse, fuck and kill. We cause shit and do whatever we want whenever we want. You were only ever supposed to be a casualty of his actions, but he kept you, like a pet.’ He explained. She thought back to his behaviour when she met him and remembered how he claimed her as his almost instantly.  
‘But I’m a vampire now too, does that mean I can do all of that as well?’ Zac slightly tilted his head at her comment.  
‘Technically…’ He said. ‘But, you kind of have been already though, haven’t you?’ Her cheeks reddened slightly as he alluded to the indiscretions she would do anything to forget.   
‘I did what he wanted me to, he won and he got what he’s always wanted from me. Why is he changing the rules again?’ She lamented. ‘Why is he making this so hard for me?’  
‘Because he can. He answers to no one except Max.’ Zac told her what she already knew.  
‘So, what am I supposed to do?’ She held her hands out and felt empty inside. ‘Why did he even bother marrying me if this is what he’s going to do? He knows Max doesn’t want me in the mix.’   
‘He’s a control freak, you must have known that. He loves the power and ownership of you. He may be your husband, but he doesn’t love you. That ring on your finger only ties _you_ tighter to _him_ , not the other way around.’ She looked at the cursed ring he’d given her, remembering what David had told her about it when he’d given it to her. Zac’s words were hitting her where it hurt, and she was sick of being in this warped reality, but he was right, David had her tied up tighter than a Christmas turkey to do with whatever he pleased. ‘Don’t forget, David didn’t come back to marry you Star…’ She had forgotten that, over the past few weeks David had managed to morph their relationship back into what it had been before Michael had crossed her path, only now it was much worse. David had come back to hurt her, to kill her for her betrayal. Why did she ever think she was in a secure place with David? And the worst part of it all, worse than being back in Santa Carla, worse than being back in this cave, even worse than having the monster dwelling within her, was that she had actually fallen for David again. He had made her love him and need him again, more than what she did before, and it made her heart thump painfully in her chest. She placed her hands on her face to avoid having Zac see her eyes fill up with tears. She felt his arms wrap around her again and she broke and folded into his embrace and cried. She needed comfort right now, she knew he was the wrong person to get it from, but she didn’t really care. None of the other boys were here and her current situation was tipping her over the edge. She put her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. She couldn’t believe how out of control her life was again. ‘Listen, no matter what, I will be here for you, OK? And if it all turns to shit, we will get out of California and start over.’ She pulled away from him and laughed at his naiveté.   
‘Ha, you can’t leave Max, he won’t let you. Look at the lengths he went to to get David back, he’ll do the same to you. And I can’t escape David, I am stuck with him forever now.’ She said wiping the tears from her eyes. ‘I’ve tried to leave him, I’ve tried to make him leave me, but he won’t let either of them happen and I am tired of being the reason innocent people are killed. You don’t know what he has done to people in order to punish me, people I care about, and what do you think he will do to you if I left with you? You’re on his hit list already.’ She said, and he held her face in his hands.  
‘I don’t care, I’m not letting anything happen to you.’ He said, and he kissed her quickly on her lips and she froze.  
‘Zac, you and I are not going to happen. We can’t happen, especially if Max gets his way and we are all one big happy family. You say you understand David and the way he operates so what makes you think this could ever happen? There’s no way David would let you near me.’ She told him again. Why wouldn’t he get it through his head?  
‘That’s not what Max has told me.’ He said to her and she looked at him quizzically. ‘Why did he connect me to you Star? Why would he allow me to drink from you and have you drink my blood?’  
‘So he could track David, you told me that.’ She said, unsure of where he was going with this.  
‘He wanted me to draw David in, yes, but he also wanted to ensure he had David right where he wanted him, and you are the key. If David won’t play ball and do what Max wants, he will get rid of him for good and replace him with me and still have you as the control. I feel as strong about you as David does and now you have both Max’s and my blood in you plus being turned under Max, he can compel you to react to me as you do to him.’ Star thought she might throw up. She had even less control over her existence than she ever had.  
‘Max has complete control.’ She said feeling faint.  
‘That happens when you are thousands of years old.’ He told her, and she sat on the bed all but ready to give up.


	87. Can't Resist the Pull - David's POV

David sat with his back against the dark walls of Max’s entertainment area, a large pool table with dark green felt taking precedence in the large room. He watched as Dwayne and Paul contentedly stalked the balls with their cues, Dwayne with a smoke hanging out of his mouth and Paul laughing at his latest shot and how he had trapped his raven-haired brother on the table. In the corner, Marko and Maria were engaged in an intimate talk while seated at a light wooden bar with a deep blue trim, each nursing a glass of light liquid. David didn’t know what it was. Mitch walked from behind the well-stocked bar, a beer in his hand and he went and sat on the floor next to Zac with his back against the large speaker and closed his eyes. David glanced over to see his elder seated in another large throne type chair, smug in his arrogant superiority, looking over his minions, with Lucy firmly by his side. Max was overjoyed, it was as if all of his dreams had come true. He had won, and David had conceded by drinking the tangy red poison Max had laid out before him and the boys had followed suit but as soon as David tasted the acidic liquid, he regretted it.

‘Relax.’ David heard Max’s voice echo inside his head. ‘Don’t worry my boy, everything is now how it should be.’ David gave his maker his stern yet softer than usual glare and he drank the straight bourbon he held in his hand. Max’s blood had done a number on them and they were all nicely chilled and the atmosphere was serene, but something was missing for David, or someone. He wanted his wife there with him, his annoyance with her from last night had dissipated somewhat and in the mood he was in, he wanted Star there with him. ‘Forget about your girl for tonight. Be with the boys, be with me and all your troubles will disappear. You don’t have to worry about anything ever again.’ Max said, his compelling overtones evident in in David’s head and he sat there, a slight buzz running through his veins and he took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. They drank and smoked, and each disappeared and fucked with the random girls who floated in and around, but none of them left the property alive. The boys partied, all be it in a very subdued Max kind of way, yet at the same time still getting fucked up in a very Paul kind of way. It was a couple of hours before dawn when Max slipped out of the room with Lucy, satisfied with the current arrangement regarding his boys, and retired to his master bedroom and Mitch and Paul disappeared out onto the balcony for a smoke. Marko and Maria had found a room together about an hour beforehand and Dwayne had crashed on the couch after simultaneously enjoying two of the random waifs that had wandered through the house. David, surprisingly, had enjoyed himself despite the mother of his wife’s ex-boyfriend staring daggers at him almost all night. He went outside to have a post coital cigarette and found Mitch and Paul talking absolute dribble and laughing their asses off.

‘Hey!’ Paul cried. ‘Wanna hit?’ He asked, handing the joint out to him. David stared at the smoke drifting off the tip of the tightly rolled spliff and Star came back into his mind. She hadn’t entered his head since Max had told him to forget about her earlier in the night. It was then he knew it was happening already, Max had a hold of David’s thoughts manipulating them like he used to. ‘Dave…’ Paul said, grabbing his attention back and David looked up at him and Mitch and he suddenly took to the air, surprising them both and he heard a faint explosion of laughter as he flew across the ocean towards his cave home.

He flew in to find a solitary barrel burning and straight away he picked up on his girl’s presence, but he also sensed she wasn’t alone. He dropped down silently and crept along the wall of the passage towards her new bedroom and he heard talking.

‘… I needed to know if you were OK.’ He heard a man say and he stopped. He didn’t recognise the voice. ‘Are you OK?’ He was struggling to think straight, who knew where they lived? And who was so concerned for her that they would risk coming here to check on her? ‘You deserve better than him. You should be being treated like a Queen, not like a possession Star.’ Who the fuck? What the hell was going on here? 

‘Then why is he doing this to me?’ He heard her whingy melancholy voice and it grated on him. He was seething, she was obviously talking about him with this man and he had to consciously restrain from charging in there. Now she had turned, he honestly thought this shit would stop.

‘He’s a vampire, an old vampire, and it’s what we are supposed to do. We use, abuse, fuck and kill. We cause shit and do whatever we want whenever we want. You were only ever supposed to be a casualty of his actions, but he kept you, like a pet.’ Jesus fucking Christ, who was this prick? He mentioned the word vampire like it was no big thing.

‘But I’m a vampire now too, does that mean I can do all of that as well?’ He heard her admit but by the way she said it, it was something the man already knew.

‘Technically…But, you kind of have been already though, haven’t you?’ Was he alluding to her cheating? Was there anything this kid didn’t know? Any secret she hadn’t told him? What the fuck? David’s rage was bubbling up near the surface and he had to know who was in there with her.

‘I did what he wanted me to, he won, and he got what he’s always wanted from me. Why is he changing the rules again? Why is he making this so hard for me?’ What rules? The only rule David had for her was that she does as he says. That’s it. Simple.

‘Because he can. He answers to no one except Max.’ Fuck, this dude knows about Max… David began to suspect he knew who was in there with her. There was only one person who knew about Max, who knew, or had been told, of David and who would have a ‘need’ to check on his wife. Only one person who went missing from Max’s little get together…

‘So, what am I supposed to do?’ He heard her say. ‘Why did he even bother marrying me if this is what he’s going to do? He knows Max doesn’t want me in the mix.’

‘He’s a control freak, you must have known that. He loves the power and ownership of you. He may be your husband, but he doesn’t love you. That ring on your finger only ties you tighter to him, not the other way around.’ It was Zac in that room, he was sure of it. ‘Don’t forget, David didn’t come back to marry you Star… Listen, no matter what, I will be here for you, OK? And if it all turns to shit, we will get out of California and start over.’ David wanted to burst in on them and make a slaughterhouse of that room, but he didn’t. He had a better idea, an idea that would fix this little fucker for good and he crept back out from the passage way and headed back to Max’s mansion to spend the night.


	88. Can't Resist the Pull - Star's POV

‘We gotta go back, it’s gonna be light soon.’ Zac said, holding his hand out to her and she looked at it with despair. The last thing she wanted to do was to go back there, to be surrounded by those people in that house and be even more manipulated by Max, if that was even possible. She felt stupid, like in the past ten years she had learned absolutely nothing. Not even after the whole Michael Emerson thing, had she learned how to recognise what was happening to her and be smart enough to stop it. Only now she felt like she’d fucked up harder than ever and she was in a much worse position than she’d ever ben with these guys. David had always said to her he would tie her up so tight that she wouldn’t be able to breathe without him, that she would be his forever, but she didn’t know how right he was. How she wished she’d never gone to that stupid concert all those years ago. As much as she loathed the thought of going back there, she knew she needed to go and speak to David. She stood up without Zac’s assistance.

‘I don’t think it would be a good idea if I go back with you.’ She said sliding her arms into her jacket sleeves and flicking her hair out from beneath her collar.

‘No way. Max is expecting you back and he will be none so pleased if I return without you.’ He admitted, and she stopped and glared at him.

‘So, you aren’t here to see if I’m OK. You’re really here doing Max’s bidding.’ A sour half smile appeared on her face and she shook her head.

‘No. Star, you know Max wants me to get you back there, but believe me, I am here right now because I want you to go back. With me.’ He quickly responded, and she backed down. He looked so sincere.

‘I am going back, I just think I should go back on my own.’ She assured him, but he wasn’t keen on letting her out of his sight. Aside from the fact Max would skin him alive if he lost the prized pawn in his game, Zac felt like he’d actually made some headway with this girl, despite her being the ultimate forbidden fruit, and he didn’t want to lose any momentum with her.

‘You need to come back with me. Do you know how much shit I will be in if I don’t return with you?’ He looked so helpless pleading with her and she began to feel sorry for him. ‘Please?!’ He said, grabbing her hand.

‘Zac…’ She sighed slightly, and her head relaxed to one side, but her eyes were drawn to him. His stare was just as magnetic as David’s and his eyes were just as blue. So hauntingly familiar and mesmerising. She felt like she couldn’t move, was he compelling her? He leaned in closer to her, so close her breath had caught in her throat and her heart rocked her chest with one mighty beat before he kissed her again. She instantly closed her eyes and went numb as this time she responded to his advance. It was just like she was kissing David and she couldn’t help herself. Consciously she knew what she was doing was wrong, but she had no conscious thought right now, it was purely instinctual what she was doing and for some reason it felt so natural to her. So comfortable in fact that her body reacted in like and, judging by the rod digging in to her lower stomach, he was certainly enjoying it too. He began to run his hands over her body, holding her tighter and clutching on to her with a desperation she hadn’t experienced since Michael, and she suddenly forced herself to snap out of it and quickly backed out from his embrace.

‘Oh God…’ She said covering her mouth, a sliver of terror in her eyes. ‘We can’t… I have to go.’

‘Star, wait.’ He said quickly, grabbing for her and pulling her back to him.

‘No.’ She escaped his harsh grabbing hands and took a few steps away from him. ‘Zac, stop! You have no idea what you’ve done.’ She told him exasperated.

‘Yes, I do.’ He countered but she shook her head and her salty smile was back.

‘If you think you are already in the shit, you have no comprehension of what you have coming to you now. What we both do.’ She backed away, feeling like she was on the verge of a panic attack. How had he managed to compel her? She knew now that he had, she was sure of it but she was one of them now and she thought only her sire could do that to her. She was scared, if Zac could do this, what else was he capable of?

‘Star, no one knows what we have done here.’ She looked at him a little shell shocked and quietly laughed.

‘You are so naïve. David knows everything.’ She turned and fled the room, flying straight into a beam of light seeping through the fault and into the main cave, and she let out a searing scream and dropped to the ground surrounded by smoke. Zac was with her in a second, only he’d managed to avoid the sunlight and he was now carrying her back into the darkness.

‘Are you alright?’ He asked her after he’d placed her back on the bed. She nodded but in all honesty her cheek, neck, chest and hand were as sore as hell. She’d never felt such an intense pain as that and she was finding it hard to catch her breath. ‘Oh shit, that looks really bad. What can I do?’

‘Nothing, it’s fine.’ She said shaking her head. What was really bad was that she was now stuck in the cave for the night with him and she could only imagine David’s reaction when she walked back into Max’s house with Zac after a night away from him. Max was really fucking things up for her and it wasn’t cool.

‘Here. Have this.’ Zac took his wrist and cut along the skin but the blood flow was insufficent, so he opened his shirt and sliced along his jugular and offered it to her. His blood quickly began to flow, and she closed her eyes, hoping that would keep her cravings at bay.

‘I can’t.’ She gritted her teeth, desperately trying to resist the scent of the life leaking from his vein and ignore the fact she hadn’t fed tonight.

‘It will help you heal, seriously your cheek and chest are really bad.’ She grimaced, never having seen anyone heal from this type of injury, she didn’t know how long it took or what it took to heal from it, but she suspected he was right, blood would make it heal quicker. Obviously he couldn’t go and get her a feed either so she fought with herself for a minute, then, taking a deep breath in, she gave up and leant over his body and drank from him. She figured if she was going to get persecuted by David for one fuck up tonight, it might as well be for two fuck ups, and besides, if her face was really that bad, she might actually need some vampire blood to fix herself. His blood filled her mouth and it was pure satisfaction for her. She drank harder, finding it instantly took her pain away and her cravings for everything she could have wanted were satiated. It was just like David’s blood for her and she found the more she drank, the more she wanted. She ripped his shirt open and climbed on top of him to get a better angle and continued to revel in what he was allowing her to do. She didn’t realise it at first, but she was enjoying it a bit too much, she’d lost herself in her indulgence and began to find the ultimate pleasure in what she was doing. David and her had had a similar experience when she had fed from him a few nights ago only she had felt more in control then than what she did now, more sure about her feelings for him. Now she didn’t know how she felt, about anything, and she was just doing what felt good in the moment. Just being the vampire she was now, good bad or indifferent. Zac was taken back by her reaction to him, especially after what had just happened between them, but he wasn’t complaining as he held her against him and she began to moan as she really got into the act of consuming his essence. Her left hand clawed at the hair at the nape of his neck while she writhed against his body making him light headed and about ready to explode. Suddenly she detached from him, her eyes closed and her head went back, breathing heavily as blood streamed down her chin and Zac’s head shot up to look at her. She looked in a state of ecstacy and he wanted to be there with her.

‘Oh God, please don’t stop!’ He said, and she smiled and opened her red and yellow irises to see the boy beneath her right on the verge and she practically felt the same, but she knew had to stop so she rolled off him. ‘No, no. Keep going, please, that is the most intense…’ He said trying to pull her back onto him, but she ignored his wants and lay back on the bed. ‘Oh my God, you are the most amazing chick I’ve ever met.’ He placed his arm across her body and she could feel his excitement against her, and him willing her to allow him inside her but she wasn’t going to oblige. She couldn't, what she’d done already with him was bad enough and despite how incredibly high she felt, she knew she had to show some restraint. She now knew how easy it was for them and how feeding and fucking were so intimately linked, regardless of who it was. No wonder those boys were such sluts. Now she felt even more stupid.

‘You can’t sleep in here with me.’ She mumbled, drunk with his blood but he ignored her and stayed. She was too wasted and the sun was too high for her to argue and within minutes she was out.


	89. History Repeating - David's POV

The house was dark, the horizon was getting lighter by the second and David found getting into Max’s house was like penetrating a fortress. He tried every door and window but had no luck, not that he thought he would at this time of the night. Then he thought of the balcony where he’d left Paul and Mitch and, of course they’d left the door open, so he entered silently and closed the door followed by the blackout curtains.

‘Where’d you go?’ The voice made him react and he spun around, quickly relaxing when he saw Marko seated in Max’s throne.

‘I had to go check on something.’ David looked at his kin and saw he was a little stressed.

‘Where is she?’ Marko asked, looking down and picking at his nails. Of course, he went to check on Star.

‘She’s at the cave, she’ll be back soon.’ David tried to seem not bothered by her whereabouts, but Marko didn’t buy it. ‘Where’s Maria?’

‘She’s asleep.’ Marko replied biting his thumb nail, his eyes still downcast.

‘You alright?’ David asked, slipping off his jacket and plonking himself on the sofa, leaving his leg hooked up over the arm. He waited for a response from Marko, but he wasn’t forthcoming. ‘Marko?’ Marko dropped his hand down onto his thigh and looked up at him.

‘What are we doing here?’ David’s breath caught in his throat at his question. ‘We fought tooth and nail to get Paul and Star outta here and now we’re back here. We’re fucking staying here, I don’t get it.’ David sighed a little, realising he hadn’t really explained his actions to anyone. Primarily because he hadn’t quite reconciled them in his own head yet, but he owed his youngest and most dependent brother an explanation.

‘I had to come back for Paul’s sake.’ David said.

‘But he’s OK now.’ Marko countered, a flair of annoyance evident in his voice.

‘He’s OK because we are here. I’ve seen Max torment someone before and I couldn’t stand by and watch it happen again.’

‘Who?’ Marko demanded.

‘The one before me.’

‘William?’ Marko had heard little bits of the vampire before David but nothing specific.

‘Yeah, William.’ David confirmed, drifting off into his thoughts for a minute. ‘And I will not allow him to do that to any of you.’

‘What did he do to him?’ Marko asked. It had always been an off-limits topic, but now Marko didn’t care. He wanted to know.

David had put William out of his head once he was gone, he had to, what Max had done to him had shaken even David to his very core. As he lay there being questioned by Marko, he began to have flashbacks of the vampire that had helped lure him in, the boy whose death had shown David Max’s true wrath and the pure evil that a creature such as Max could inflict when provoked. David had forgotten a lot of what had happened back then, maybe he’d pushed it out of his brain or maybe Max had even compelled it out of him, he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t all that keen on revisiting these memories.

‘William had been with Max for a long time, I’m not sure exactly how long but it had been long enough for them to begin to become intolerant of each other. I’d only been there ten years or so and I think I’d been inducted to create a family for William to keep him content. He even had plans to bring my brother along for the ride. Two brothers to make a family, sound familiar?’ David sarcastically chuckled but Marko remained stoic. ‘Anyways, William was becoming more and more uncontrollable and Max increasingly impatient.’

‘That also sounds familiar.’ Marko interjected, and David involuntarily smiled.

‘Yeah… well, Max has never been incredibly tolerant. He began to harass him mentally, taunt his fears and insecurities in the hopes William would back down but he didn’t. William didn’t know the lengths Max would go to get what he wanted, and Max ramped it up to the point he was tormenting William constantly, day and night. He wouldn’t even let him sleep.’ David shook his head. ‘I don’t know how he did it cause he must not have slept himself, but then Max is a stubborn old fucker. I didn’t know quite what Max was capable of until William really began to lose it when Max refused to allow him to feed until he pulled his head in, but by then it was too late.’ David fought to resist the urge to shudder.

‘What do you mean he refused to allow him to feed?’ Marko looked concerned and David started to regret divulging so much information.

‘It’s all mental shit, apparently when he was younger Max was a real brutal cunt but by the time he’d found me, he’d calmed a bit and had found a new outlet for his frustrations. It was horrifying to watch.’ David paled as he stared at the rug before him, remembering the state Max eventually had William in.

‘What happened to him?’ Marko asked, totally freaked out now. David looked up and almost looked straight through Marko as he remained inside his head.

‘He began to feed upon himself.’

‘He what?’ Marko asked, hoping he’d misheard his brother.

‘Yeah, he was feral by then, it was like he was rabid or something. He was saying Max was in his head, he’d been saying that for months, but then he began feeding on his own blood, tearing up his arms and shit. It was fucked up.’ Marko went white listening to David’s tale.

‘So, did he drink himself to death?’

‘No… Max had him in such a state that he killed himself. I tried to stop him but…’ David’s head jerked at the memory. ‘Max took pleasure in watching him deteriorate.’ David admitted. It was the one thing that still haunted him and as soon as he’d seen how Paul was acting, he knew exactly what Max was doing and Max knew David would recognise it. ‘He took even more pleasure in watching me witness it. That’s why I had to come back Marko, for Paul. And once he was done with Paul, he was going to start on Star.’

‘So, this is all about Star?’ Marko looked reviled as he spoke her name.

‘No, have you been listening to me? It’s about Paul, but she does have something to do with it.’ He admitted.

‘Something to do with it… We should have ripped that bitch apart the night after you came back to the cave. I should have taken care of it once I took her from the Boardwalk, none of this would have happened. It should have been her, not Laddie.’

‘Forget it Marko, it’s done.’ David stood up. ‘Come on, after tonight things are going to change anyways.’ He led Marko back down the hallway and pushed him towards the room where Maria slept but Marko was feeling insecure. He would rather have slept in the sanctity of his brothers’ company tonight. At Max’s they didn’t have the opportunity though, so he joined the girl and David went off to find a room of his own, sleep heavily beckoning him as the rays of light breached the horizon.

David woke up expecting Star or at least Zac to have been there already but when neither of them appeared, his mood remained sour and he kept away from the others to focus on his next move. Max picked up on his son’s demeanour, but he ignored it, he didn’t have the time nor the inclination to placate the boy. He took Paul and disappeared with him, flicking David a look as they left. It was a reminder of his hold on both the boy and David and in the mood he was in, along with the talk with Marko last night, the action made him seethe even more.

Max didn’t need to prove his power to David, but after William he didn’t think he would have to do this again. If only he’d been able to complete his initial plan with Lucy all those years ago, the need for him to repeat the past wouldn’t be happening, he was sure Lucy would have been able to pull these boys in line while continuing to parent Michael and Sam. But Star had to come along and fuck it all up.

David sat in the corner near the French doors waiting, he was on tenterhooks waiting, but he refused to go to her. He would wait for her to come to him and he knew she would. Half an hour passed before Zac walked through the door, followed by a minute later by the girl. Dwayne saw David watch them appear in the room and he now knew why he’d been acting the way he was all night and he instantly recognised how precariously dangerous he was. David sat deadly still, and he reminded Dwayne of a crocodile ready to ambush the two deer that had just entered his watering hole. Max said something but neither Dwayne nor David paid him any mind. David had a sadistic gleam in his eye and he studied intently the dynamic between the two of them, especially after overhearing their conversation. They both looked nervous, her more so than him and it took her a minute before she made eye contact with him, but once she did, he found her as easy to read as she was at 16 years old. He saw guilt and the fact she even needed to feel guilt at all was enough for him. He swiftly stood up, noticing her slightly jump at his movement and he smirked at her reaction as he walked straight past her and over to Zac. He had no intention of giving her any real attention, his focus was firmly fixed on the boy who was apparently from his bloodline.

‘I think it’s time we got to know each other.’ David said staring into a pair of eyes so eerily like his own, he could have been looking into a mirror. ‘I’m going to take you up on your offer.’ He spoke to Max but kept eye contact with Zac and he placed his arm around his shoulder, guiding him towards the door. ‘I think a road trip is in order.’

‘Good.’ Max approved, delighted with David’s decision.

‘Why?’ David was pleased when he saw the confused uncertainty in the way Zac asked him the question. This was exactly what he wanted.

‘I want to get to know my family.’ David told him, and it was the first time he’d actually spoken to the kid. David glanced over at Max to see him beaming with pride. ‘I know it’s not what you had planned but I wanna include these two on our time out.’ David silently asked his elder. In a roundabout way David was asking for permission and Max was loving every second of it.

‘You may.’ Max again approved, feeling certain his treatment of Paul had worked and he had all his boys and Lucy back. It was beyond his wildest dreams, what had come together tonight. ‘What do you say? Up for a boy’s week?’ David’s attention went back to Zac, knowing he couldn’t refuse.

‘Ah… sure.’ Zac replied, looking around at the faces in the room for some understanding of what was happening but finding no solace from anyone.

‘Star and Maria will stay here with Lucy and I. I will teach the girls some family ground rules and expectations of behaviour while you’re gone.’ Max added, and his announcement couldn’t have complimented David plans any more. It was perfect and seeing the expression on Star’s face topped it off.

‘See you soon.’ David patronized Star with his departing comment before backing up Max. ‘They’re all yours.’

‘Wait, we’re going now?’ Zac asked shocked and David watched him glance back at Star, solidifying his plan into granite.

‘Sure, unless there’s something you have to do or someone you need to say goodbye to?’ His comment was equally as patronizing to Zac and the room temperature went down a few degrees, but Zac didn’t want to let it show.

‘No, I ah… no.’ Zac said unsure, but David took control of his stalling and forced the boy out the door with him.


	90. History Repeating - Star's POV

Star woke up feeling good, no better than good, she felt great, that was until she remembered what she’d done last night. She’d initially woken thinking the arm locking her down was David’s but when she remembered who it had to belong to, she tried to prize it off her only to find it was like a lead weight. Another thing this guy had in common with her husband. Her husband, oh shit, she had to get out of there and fast. She began slapping Zac’s arm to get him off her.

‘Hey, get off!’ She said waking him up.

‘What?’ He opened his eyes and she found she couldn’t look at him.

‘Get off me.’ He lifted his arm and she sat up. ‘I told you not to sleep in here.’ She said looking over her shoulder, annoyed.

‘Sorry, I crashed after you fed… Feeling better?’ She looked at her hand and then touched her face.

‘Ah… yeah.’ She said remembering the insane pain she’d experienced, that she never wanted to experience again.

‘You’re welcome.’ He said sitting up and she looked back at him again and sighed.

‘Thank you, but you shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have…’ She struggled to get the words out. ‘We’re just not going to speak of this again, OK?’ She stood up. ‘We gotta go.’ She said putting her jacket back on along with her shoes, neither of which she remembered taking off, but she didn’t want to ask or even know if he had assisted her with that. ‘You ready?’ She turned to see him putting his second shoe on.

‘Yep.’ He answered standing up.

Reluctantly she returned with him and she walked in the house, full of nerves but trying not to show it, to find everyone casually milling around in Max’s living room.

‘Ah, Zac. There you are, and you brought back the absconder for me.’ Max said pointedly yet contentedly, as if there was no question about the outcome of the quest he’d sent his son on. Star looked around the room and saw the mood was somewhat relaxed, which in turn made her relax a little, until she noticed David. He was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, dead still, juxtaposed against the dark patterned wallpaper. He looked like a portrait to her, only when his and moved to his lips to retrieve the cigarette held within did he display life. His usually bright eyes were dark and watched her and Zac intently as he exhaled a lungful of smoke. He didn’t even blink. She didn’t know what to do or how to even begin to speak to him but, before she could David promptly stood up and walked over towards her, eyeballing her hard as he brushed past her and went to Zac.

‘I think it’s time we got to know each other.’ David announced, and Max looked up at him and smiled. ‘I’m going to take you up on your offer.’ He directed at Max and he placed his arm around the young man’s shoulder, guiding him towards the door. ‘I think a road trip is in order.’ He continued, looking over his shoulder at Dwayne, who threw his cigarette out the window and stood up. Paul and Marko followed his lead and Mitch also stood up, but Star could tell he was unsure of exactly what was happening. Maria stood next to Marko, but he subconsciously pushed her away which she didn’t appreciate but also didn’t make a scene over. Star watched with apprehension, knowing they were obviously ready to leave before she and Zac had got there and fearful of where they were taking the boy. She knew David far too well to know there was something wrong with this picture.

‘Good.’ Max smiled, and Star felt butterflies in her stomach.

‘Why?’ Zac was obviously just as sceptical as Star felt.

‘I want to get to know my family.’ David finally acknowledged him, before looking over at Max. Star picked up on a silent exchange between to two of them and she saw a smirk beseech David’s face and he looked back at Zac. ‘What do you say? Up for a boy’s week?’ She watched him dominate the poor kid and she knew Zac had no chance.

‘Ah… sure.’ He said, and Star’s stomach dropped. She’d seen this scenario before, with Michael, only Zac was already a vampire so what was David playing at?

‘Star and Maria will stay here with Lucy and I.’ Max declared, and Star’s head shot to her right to where Max stood. ‘I will teach the girls some family ground rules and expectations of behaviour while you’re gone.’ Her eyes flicked to Maria and she recognised the panic on her face, then she looked back at David, who returned her look with his ever-malicious grin evident on his face.

‘See you soon.’ David crooned at Star, raising his eyebrow as he spoke. ‘They’re all yours.’

‘Wait, we’re going now?’ Zac asked, looking back at Max and Star.

‘Sure, unless there’s something you have to do or someone you need to say goodbye to?’ David’s question was leading. He knew and instantly Star knew Zac was going to be punished in some way. That would have been what David and Max had silently spoken about. Guilt rocked her, another innocent was going to be hurt because of her stupidity. Admittedly, he wasn’t as innocent as the rest, but still. She looked at Max, but his expression showed no emotion as he watched the two family members interact.

‘No, I ah… no.’ Zac stumbled, awkwardly looking around before being strong-armed out the door by David, quickly followed by the rest of the boys. Star stood there, feeling brutally alone, in front of a man she’d tried to kill and her ex boyfriend’s mother and when she finally brought herself to look at him, she was met with a blue steel stare quite unlike she’d ever seen. His expression displayed nothing discernible other than pure, cold unadulterated judgement and her breathing quickened. She felt Maria’s hand slip into hers and Star was suddenly so grateful she was there

‘Finally,’ Max stalked the girls as he addressed them, ‘I’ve been waiting a long time for this, particularly for you, and now you’re mine.’ Star clenched her fingers and squeezed Maria’s hand tight.


	91. Information Gathering - David's POV

‘Where are we going?’ Marko projected to David, a little more anxious sounding than he wanted. He wasn’t happy leaving Maria behind with Max to entertain David’s whim.

‘Paul, go with Zac and Mitch in the Merc and follow us.’ David said aloud, and he climbed on his bike, loudly starting it up. ‘It doesn’t matter Marko, we won’t be long.’ David projected back to his brother and he rode off back down the coast. They rode hard for half an hour before David headed off to a secluded bay along the Pacific Coast and he cut his engine outside the Garrapata State Park, sparking a cigarette while he waited for the rest of them to arrive. He tried to keep his mind clear lest his maker peer into his thoughts and extract information he didn’t want known but he couldn’t help himself. He thought of Star, and Zac, and the position she had put him in, forcing his hand yet again, only this time he would make sure this would be the last time ever. This was going to cost him, he knew that, but he was willing to take the hit. He sucked in more smoke and felt his head throb, he was pissed off already but now he had the added bonus of a headache looming. Although he looked forward to delivering his own specialised form of justice, he also just wanted to get this over and done with and move on with his life. Dwayne and Marko pulled in and Dwayne got off his bike, David throwing him a cigarette, but Marko stayed put.

‘Why are we stopping? I thought we were going on a boy’s weekend?’ David heard him but didn’t acknowledge his question and continued to smoke his stick and watch as Paul pulled in behind the bikes.

‘What’s going on?’ Zac asked once he’d joined the group and David took a second before he answered him. 

‘I needed to stop for a bit.’ He said throwing his butt away over the edge of the cliff at Soberane’s Point at the lookout. He turned back and instantly felt Marko’s stare and he glanced at Dwayne who’s returning look gave him no peace either. Mitch looked nervous but Paul however didn’t have a care in the world, only he was probably so stoned that he had no real idea of what was transpiring anyways. Good old Paul.

‘Zac, come with me.’ David suddenly said, changing his mind regarding his boys’ involvement. They were already on edge and David decided this needed to be a one man show. 

‘Where are they going?’ Marko projected as he looked over at Dwayne and Paul. Dwayne’s expression remained flat, but he could see something wasn’t right for his brother however Paul just shrugged and laughed to himself. David walked off with Zac trailing behind him. 

‘At first I didn’t believe you were who Max claimed you were. I know Max is a vindictive prick, but he’s also a liar and I thought even he wouldn’t go find a fucking relative of mine to truly fuck me over. I mean, who does that, right?’ Zac walked slowly behind him and quietly listened. ‘But I was wrong, after speaking with my wife and hearing how she’d seen the personality similarities and how now even I can see the physical ones… Max is even worse than I ever imagined, and he actually did it.’ David glanced back at Zac. ‘Sebastian.’ He let the name linger. ‘I never would have dreamed that Max would have been able to track anyone related to my brother yet here you are.’ David led the boy out on to the peripheral of the point away from view of the others and he stopped next to a large dying tree hanging over the abyss. ‘Tell me, when you met him what did he say to you?’

‘What do you mean?’ Zac asked him.

‘How did he pull you in? What did he say to you?’ David repeated, and he leaned back against the tree and looked at the kid.

‘It was six years ago. I had just left high school when I met him, and he said that he needed to find a long-lost relative of his and asked if I could help him.’ David watched him closely but said nothing. ‘He said he would finance me while I searched but I still wasn’t sure. I admit, he’d piqued my interest with the money so I met with him one more time to talk to him and he offered me a few drinks and I thought he maybe wanted to, you know, fuck me or something but then he was telling me about a girl who he wanted me to help him find because if he could find her, he knew he would find this relative.’

‘Who did he say I was?’ David asked, his own interest growing upon hearing the boy’s story.

‘Hmm he was vague, I wondered if you were his son. Then he said he’d buy me a car to assist me in my search and I was sold, I mean who am I to turn down a car, right? So, we celebrated with a bottle of his special wine and well, you know what it was.’

‘How’d you find Star? That’s the girl I assume?’ 

‘Yeah, he said that I would be able to ‘feel’ her, and I thought he was full of shit but then things began to become really weird and I went to Max and told him what was going on, and he told me what was happening to me. We moved away from Santa Monica up to San Francisco and, by the time I’d gotten my head around the whole vampire thing, Max had seen some kid named Michael had been murdered on the news and he knew you were alive.’

‘He told you about Michael?’ David asked surprised and Zac nodded.

‘Then he became obsessed with me finding Star before you did, and he began recruiting others to help me. We travelled non-stop around the west coast for a year, but I couldn’t locate her. Then I decided I would return to Santa Monica and let my Mom know I was OK and as soon as we entered the city, Max was right. I could feel her. I couldn’t believe it, but I could. I knew she was there, and I tracked her to a restaurant but suddenly she was gone, and it was nearly a month before I found her again after Max told me to go to Santa Carla. Only by then, you had found her, and I thought it was too late.’ 

‘You were in Santa Carla?’ David asked and tilted his head, trying to think if he’d seen him.

‘Yeah, I saw her on the Boardwalk in a spectacular blue dress.’ David knew the night he was talking about, but he couldn’t remember seeing him, or even sensing him. ‘I saw you with her and I told Max I’d found you and he came down that same night. He told us to go back to his place and wait for him and he returned with Star and Paul all fucked up but not you, which I thought was strange. Still, I thought my job was done.’

‘It should have been.’ David said, passive aggressively. ‘Then what?’ His tone suddenly changed, and Zac became wary. 

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean then what? What happened, what exactly did Max do with Paul and Star?’ David wanted to glean as much information from Zac as he could.

‘We never saw much of Paul, Max kept him mostly away from us and we were given Star to look after and to coax into turning, but Max wanted to hedge his bets and had me drink her blood, so I could track her if she ran.’ Zac admitted, and David’s dead heart turned to granite. The underlying rage he harboured for the kid was inflamed by this revelation and burned within him with the knowledge the boy had his wife’s blood inside him. This changed everything, there was no way he was going to allow another man to exist with her essence inside him. His decision was made, and this would be one that he would happily throw back at Max, a renewed ‘fuck you’ from David to the old man and the death to any familial rivalry. David didn’t know the kid, nor did he give a shit about him, it’s not like this was Sebastian. Max was just fucking with David by even bringing him into his life so this one lay solely on Max’s head. Fuck him. David’s stare became harder and Zac’s nerves got the better of him and he began to ramble, and in doing so, he let the ultimate cat out of the bag.


	92. Information Gathering - Star's POV

Star and Maria stood in front of the man and anxiously watched him as he walked over to the window and pulled the curtain aside. The minutes felt like hours as he stood there, and Star looked around to see if any escape was available to them, but Lucy stood leaning in the door frame and she turned back to Max. 

‘So...’ He said as he watched the boys leave. ‘You’re not satisfied with breaking one of my sons, you have to break two of them?’ He turned back to face them, and his eyes went straight to Star making her divert her gaze briefly. ‘Hmmm?’

‘No.’ She replied.

‘Now that’s not true, is it? You spent the day with Zac.’ He called her bluff and she looked up at him while Maria looked over at her.

‘Not in the way you think.’ She corrected him.

Mmm, that’s not what David thinks.’ He responded. ‘You’re burns aren’t fully healed either, even after drinking Zac’s blood.’ He looked her over and she inwardly cringed.

‘What did you tell him?’ She asked suspiciously.

‘Oh, I didn’t tell him anything. I didn’t have to…’Max raised his eyebrows. ‘Maybe your husband found Zac in that damp cave he insists on residing in last night.’ The colour drained from her face and the room spun sickeningly around her with the confirmation David had been there. ‘Well, which one do you prefer? You always were one to keep your options open, apparently even if you are married.’ Max’s words were laced with condescension and it got Star’s back up.

‘I’m with David, Max, you know that, and he knows that. Everyone knows that.’ She said, the ring around her finger feeling like a lead weight.

‘Like that means anything, you were with David when the Emerson boy entered the picture and that never stopped you.’ He reminded her.

‘Things were different back then.’ She was loathed to remember Michael and what had happened, especially with Lucy standing in the doorway. Star glanced over at the woman and she was greeted with a stern indifferent expression which left her cold.

‘Not for David. He never wanted you involved in that whole situation, in fact he was adamant about it. But it was too late, you had already met Michael, by chance as it happened.’ She reluctantly cast her mind back and her memories seemed to differ from what he was saying.

‘What? David already knew Michael?’ She asked confused.

‘No, I knew of him. It was my idea to induct him, remember? But then you went and screwed everything up for me. Just one of the many things you have ruined.’ He leaned on the arm of a large plush sofa and clasped his hands together.

‘But if I had done what David wanted me to, Michael would have died a lot sooner than he did.’ Max paused and looked at her over the rim of his glasses. The miniscule muscles around his eyes contracted and she saw her admission had surprised him, although he tried not to let it show. ‘You didn’t know David wanted him to be my first, did you? That he had told me to kill Michael?’ 

‘Hmmm…’ Max sat back and studied the girl and pondered the information. ‘But you fucked him instead.’ He shot back, and she recoiled. ‘I never understood what David saw in you. All I could see was a cheating manipulator whose reluctance to commit to our lifestyle was always dangerous to our existence.’

‘I was young when I met him, only 16, and I’m married to him now. I have committed and have turned.’ She tried to justify her position, but he shot her down.

‘Not before you left a trail of blood evidence all over a Santa Carla parking lot, incited a bloodbath in Las Vegas as a result of your poor decision making on your wedding night and let’s not forget about poor Laddie.’ He may as well have sliced her into ribbons right there in the room with the effect his words had on her. ‘You’ve caused enough damage for all of us to be better off without you at all.’ The brutality of his glare shook her to her core and in turn scared Maria, who wasn’t really coping all that well anyways. ‘And as for you,’ he turned his attention to Maria, ‘all the boys were specifically told to stay away from you and by the look of you, I was right in making that directive.’ Maria began to cry. He had dismissed her and in doing so had made both the girls feel redundant and superfluous to Max’s needs and, most definitely, his wants. ‘Now, I have my life back, and more importantly, I have my boys back and then some, and I have no intention of allowing you to fuck anything else up ever again. So, I’m gonna tell you what’s going to happen, you are going to make a graceful exit and leave my sons alone. All of them.’

‘Max, I’ve tried to leave, David won’t let me. I spent years in hiding for fear of this whole thing happening again. And Laddie, he was a casualty of my attempts to leave.’ She held back tears just saying his name. ‘But now, I have turned, and everything has changed. I love David, it has taken me so long to realise it, but I do. I don’t want Zac and I have told him so.’ She pled her case again, but Max just looked at her with disgust. 

‘That’s why you’ve been intimate with him.’

‘What? No, I haven’t.’ She shook her head.

‘You’ve kissed him.’ Max dealt her a fatal blow and she knew she was going to have to lay it all out on the table. 

‘You linked us somehow and he believes he feels something for me, but it has nothing to do with anything I have done.’ She reminded him.

‘I didn’t tell him to make out with you and I don’t need to tell you of the intimacy involved with blood sharing. You must have done something for him to defy me and give you his blood.’ Jesus. How the fuck did he know everything?

‘Why would you tell him to drink mine then?’ She shot back.

‘I wanted to use you, I didn’t think your blood was what held the appeal, I thought David was just hooked on the sex this whole time until I saw Zac’s reaction after that night, and now you have him talking about leaving with you.’ She pulled back. This conversation just got very dangerous for her. ‘Star, you will take and use whoever you can to get what you want. Even before I had met you, I’d seen the change in David and I didn’t like it. You changed everything and continue to do so which is why I had to find you.’ He openly judged her and put her down.

‘You didn’t have to use David’s great nephew to do it.’ She spat, and Max chuckled. ‘Max, I didn’t ask for this, any of this. David just kind of took over my life back when I met him, and he killed my family and left me with nowhere else to go.’ She could feel Maria’s stare upon her but she dare not look at her lest she saw the complete shock on her face. ‘I was just a kid.’ A heartbreaking tear slid down her cheek and her voice broke. ‘And then he showed me what he was, and it was too late. He told me we would be together forever, and I felt so trapped. What was I supposed to do?’

‘This is exactly why I’ve always maintained that young immature females not be a part of my pack.’ Max more or less said to himself under his breath then suddenly he went quiet, his head tilted, and he looked off past the girls, as if he was listening to something. The silence his action created made Star acutely aware of the strength of her heart beating in her chest and the ominous feeling it gave her then Star recoiled in horror as his face became terse and he turned back to look at them, his features contorting into the demon beneath. ‘Oh,’ he laughed, ‘the decision has been made for me.’


End file.
